Matthew McConnell

It is impossible to capture a person in an obituary, especially someone whose adult life was largely defined by drug addiction. To some, Matthew McConnell was just an addict; when people saw his addiction, they stopped seeing Matthew. The truth is that Matthew was a caring, loving, and living being struggling mightily with his demons. Matthew entered this world on New Year's Eve in 1985. He was a beautiful and amazing boy. Matthew was perpetually testing limits. From chasing Guinea hens at the zoo to racing down Colorado mountains on his snowboard, he was after the adrenaline high. Matthew spent his final years of elementary school at The Hall in London, England. He embraced his two years abroad both academically and on the field. He excelled at cricket, football (soccer), field hockey, and rugby. During high school, he continued to channel his energy and spirit into sports, becoming a key player on both the football and soccer teams at Brownell Talbot in Omaha, Nebraska. Outside of school Matt focused on the guitar, reading, and woodworking. He was a gentle soul who loved poetry. He found kindred spirits in the music of Johnny Cash, Pink Floyd, and Jimmy Hendrix. The hours spent learning their music were his personal therapy. In high school, Matthew experimented with prescription drugs, primarily oxycontin which is synthetic heroin. It told him ‘I can make you feel accepted, I can make you feel alright, I can make you feel worthy, I can make you feel loved.' Finally, it only told him, ‘I can make you feel nothing and make you feel like everything will be OK.' His family and friends watched his addiction steal the best parts of his life away. Matthew fought this thief but lost the battle in August of 2019. We never expect addiction to kill those most familiar to us. There is a dangerous idea that drug addicts are a whole separate category of people, people who would never include Matthew, the starting linebacker. But the truth is that there is no other kind of people. There are only people, and all of us know someone whose life is vulnerable to addiction. Matthew is survived by his mother, Kathy McConnell and father, James McConnell; his brother and wife, Anders and Christie McConnell and their children, Jack and Sam; his sister and her husband, Kerstin and Will Hunzicker and their children, Kristyn Ramsey and her husband, Trevor and Savannah Hunzicker; his brother, Michael Rolleigh and his wife, Emily; his brother, Nicklas McConnell and his wife, Lisa and their children Ella and Gustav. Services will be held on Tuesday, August 27 at 2 p.m. at St. James United Methodist Church, officiated by Rev. Carness Vaughn and Paul Stevens, Director of Exodus.Life. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Exodus.Life, 3700 W. 65th St., Little Rock, Ark. 72209. Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct., (501) 224-2200. Matthew's online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.