R.I.P.--TIGGER--Matthew Helms

[zout]

Just got a call from Tiggers family. I had talked to Matt last week the 13th - later that night he passed away from severe abdominal pain. Deb is on the phone with the family right now so there is nothing more or details we know.

She was paging through Tig's cell and found my number and just called.

Tig was cremated and they are just coming back from the funeral.

I know my brother is resting in peace.

 

[papabear]

The Lord has taken one of the best from us. Only HE knows why. I sure will miss talking with Matt and enjoying his company. May he rest in peace.

 

[marchplumber]

OMG!! What a shock!! Completely dumbfounded! May he be at peace and know rest in the arms of the Lord!! Our deepest condolences to family and friends!! Our prayers are with you!

God bless and keep you, now and forever!!
R.I.P. the journey is done.

Tony and Aly March

 

[Recovry4x4]

Shocked and Speechless! May you rest in peace with the Father Matthew. I know only the Father knows why but his will shall be done.

 

[73m819]

Wow

 

[poppop]

I am sitting here with tears running down my face just as stunned as I was when David Frankenhauser, our first Chaplin was killed overseas. It is unthinkable that a member Matthew's age is gone just like that. I am sure the Lord had a good reason to call Matthew home so early but I think he had a lot of good left to do here on this Earth yet. My thoughts and Prayers go out to all Matthew's Family and especially to Amanda, who was a blessing for Matthew in the last few months of his way to short life.

I am sure we have a lot of newer members who do not know how tigger came to be a part of SS. When he first made contact with us, he was a truck driver who had been severly injured in a truck wreck. A schoolbus was involved which ran out in front of Matthew's fully loaded truck. Without any thought for his own safety, Matthew drove his truck off the road to avoid the loaded bus. I saw pictures of his wrecked truck and there is no way he should have survived. As a matter of fact he would not have survived if a Soldier was not passing by and saw the wreck. He pulled Matthew out of the wreck and stopped the blood loss until help arrived. We commented at the time that Devine intervention played a huge roll in his survival. We first met tigger at a Ga. Rally and he was still in pain from broken ribs and other injuries. He has made every Rally since and has been our Medic and has treated injuries for us as well as any Duramtown Plantation had while we were there.

Rest in Peace my Friend and Brother. You have earned it and I am sure you are with the Heavenly Father in Paradise.

 

[clinto]

We are so sorry to hear this. The family has our condolences and if there's anything we can do to assist, we'd be happy to.

Matt was a big help running the Ga. Rally. He ran our First Aid station (he was a former medic) and not only did he run it, he supplied all the materials and helped Durhamtown (the facility where we host the rally for you non-attendees) with their First Aid needs. So at the 2013 event, he was not only supplying First Aid service to us, but also to Durhamtown. He had 2 walkie-talkies: 1 for the rally and 1 for D-town.

Matt was absolutely selfless. He would have gotten up at 3am to help anyone, he ran errands, he put out fires (both real and metaphorical), absolutely anything that the mission required, he would do and he would do it with a smile and without complaining. I just spoke with him last week about the 2014 event and he had volunteered to take on many more responsibilities than just first aid.

His loss is a great loss to the community. I wish there were better, more profound words that I could express to you, but I am simply at a loss.

 

[gringeltaube]

I'm deeply saddened. We lost one of our best... and way too soon!

Rest in peace, Tigger!


G.

 

[wilfreeman]

What a shock! He was such a joy to be around. I'm glad that we got to attend one more rally with him at Denton. We will miss him.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I just read this and am speechess. I read it to JP who is driving at the moment on our return from Findlay, he is also speechless.

Matthew was an incredible individual. He was a good friend and will be sorely missed, but he is at peace now and reaping the rewards of his kind heart and devotion to his fellow man. I know I will miss him greatly, along with many others.

JP and I are tearing up recounting all the stories and good times we were honored to share with him.

Our deepest condolencies to his family and Amanda.

R.I.P. brother

 

[wheelspinner]

Glad I got to see him for just a few minutes at NC rally. No words, just speechless.........

 

[jedawson1]

Sorry for your loss fellow SS's that knew him. I've enjoyed his post, and now pray for his family in their loss.

 

[CARNAC]

I can't believe it and absolutely speechless. This hits like a sledgehammer. May he rest in piece.

 

[zout]

Forgive me while I post this now as I was asked on the phone by the family to get involved and I have never met them but they all have to be great folks.

The M109 chassis I sold Tigger a little over a year ago and Tig mounted a camper box to the back. The family would like to sell this to someone in SS family. I know what I sold it to a dear friend and what condition it was with all the almost new 11.00x20 tires on it. It got him a flat 12 mph with the Multi Fuel on the way home and in his couple travels he made with the truck. I never ran WMO or anything other than straight diesel in it and neither did Matt.

I have no doubts the family could use the money - so here is the deal.

IF you are sincere with cash in hand to make a good offer on the truck PM me as I have the family contacts - your going to have to let me know what your offering as a low point at least and not screw with the family to get a truck - its not going to work. Like I said - I know what I sold it for and what would make a good offer to the family besides just plain helping them out. They will be contacting me to ask me so make sure your telling me what your offering them because I will know.

No one is jumping on Matt's stuff - I was asked by the family on that call just so you all know.

 

[pctrans]

I guess it really hits home, that you never know when you're number is up. Gives you the incentive to live life to the fullest, and enjoy every day, cause you never know when it will be your last. RIP buddy.

 

[TMNT]

Very sad news. I had only started getting to know Matt over the past couple of rally's. He worked incredibly hard taking care of folks there. We will miss him.

 

[sigo]

What a shock. I only met him briefly at a SS rally, but I always enjoyed his posts. My condolences to his family, and may Matt rest in peace.

 

[Speddmon]

I don't even know what to say!!

I've only have the privilege of meeting Tigger two times, both at the GA rally. But I can tell you this, he was one of the best. Many of you may remember as I do, the first time I met him he was recovering from injuries sustained when he selflessly ran his semi off the road to avoid a school bus load of kids.

That should speak volumes about the kind of man who was taken from this world way too soon.

Rest in Peace Tigger!!!!!!

 

[Trailboss]

Like the majority of us here, I only knew Tigger and TiggersGF through their posts, but feel as if they are friends we had not yet met. May God bless Amanda and his family and comfort them during this difficult time.

 

[Chief_919]

Wow. Just wow. I am away from the site for a while and I come back to see this news.

I am speechless right now. He was a great man who, as Clint said, would do anything he could to help anyone.