York student Matthew Loo died unexpectedly on June 11. He was 19.
With dreams of becoming a middle-school teacher, the kinesiology student was looking forward to 
entering his second year and starting York’s concurrent education program. He was clearly a hit with kids. After exams ended, he volunteered as a teacher’s assistant at Cliffwood Public School near his Markham home. A competitive high school basketball player and talented athlete, he’d recently started a softball team at his church. This summer, he was going to return as a counsellor at Bridlegrove Day Camp, where he had spent many summers as a camper. “He really wanted to be a teacher,” said his mother Doris.
Left: Matthew Loo
A good student, Matthew loved life and was full of energy. He enjoyed hanging out with friends and family, listening to music, performing karaoke and going to amusement parks.
Matthew died of complications from routine oral surgery. When he was in intensive care at the hospital, his mom said “there was such an outpouring of love that there were lineups down the hall of friends and family wanting to visit him.”
Some 500 people attended the visitation June 20. They included his high school principal, teachers, friends, family, campers and counsellors. His church softball team did a cheer for him at the visitation, dedicated their first game to him and sewed patches with his number – 23 – and his initials on the sleeves of their uniforms.
“He was an inspiration and leader to everyone,” said Doris. “He will always be remembered for his kind and generous heart and outgoing personality. I was so touched by how everyone loved Matthew. They all said he was kind, always had a smile and was a good listener. He touched the lives of everyone he met.”
After the funeral on June 21, Matthew Loo was buried in York Cemetery in North York. He leaves his younger sister Megan and his parents, Doris and William.
York will lower the flag tomorrow, July 19, in his memory.