Author: Rae
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Why 9 year olds don’t go to college
From Rae:
When I was in college, Matthew and our brother Zach came to visit me all by themselves, all the way out in California.
I wanted to give them a tour of the campus and show them where my classes were, so I brought them to the biology building and walked them around the classrooms and hallways. I looked away for a minute, I swear, and I heard a “woosh!”
Matthew had noticed a handle hanging from the ceiling in the hallway and did the natural thing… he pulled it. Turns out that was the emergency shower for people exposed to chemical irritants. About 30 gallons of water had poured out of the ceiling above him, and I looked on in shock.
Better yet, there was a seminar going on in the large classroom nearby. The professor rushed out after hearing the commotion and I’m sure we got those students out of class that day.
Matt, Zach, and I just walked away. Why would there be a handle in a hallway if you weren’t supposed to pull it? It’s the only time I ever saw that thing in action. I loved Matthew for a lot of reasons, but his curiosity inspired me to be bold
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Matthew’s Obituary
Matthew Kenneth Anderson Heitkamp (1/16/01-2/11/26)
An incredible artist and activist through his work. The baby of the family, but far wiser than most of older age. He could hold your hand so tight you could feel his empathy radiate. He could see beauty in a power line or a crack on the sidewalk — in things that everyone else would ignore. The squintiest, perfect smile that somehow gave a glimmer into all he knew about the world. A world-traveler mixed with a homebody. The most fascinated TV and movie critic. Don’t get him started on writing versus directing.
Deeply kind, deeply good. 25 years was quite the feat for someone so in tune with and devastated by all the bad in the world, yet relentless in his hope for better. He moved through the world as an example for all of us, loving and helping and feeling everything. He loves his niece and nephews and brother and sisters, and mom and dad, every pet on the planet, extended family and all of his very best friends.
“I love you very much,” he would say.
He produced countless works of art in all kinds of media, accessible to all in his online memorial at matthewheitkamp.art.
A celebration of Matthew’s life was held on February 19th from 4-7 pm at Kozlak-Radulovich Funeral Chapel in Northeast Minneapolis with eulogies and sharing to follow. It was open to all who loved and cared about him.
Matthew felt the depths of beauty, joy, sadness, and pain. He worked tirelessly to stay here as long as he could. His family and friends want anyone who is feeling alone or in despair to know that you are important and loved and worthy. Please call your mom, your friend, your colleague, your neighbor, or 988 if you are in crisis. To Matthew’s friends, you are part of our family. Please include Matthew’s family as contacts in crisis.
Matthew is preceded in death by his nephew George Guy Drees and grandparents Lloyd (Bud) Anderson and Annella Heitkamp. He is survived by his grandparents Luella Anderson, Jack Heitkamp, and Joyce Heitkamp; his mom and dad, Cheryl and Dave Heitkamp; siblings and in-laws Rae Heitkamp & Joseph Murphy, Rose & Anna Anderson, Zach Heitkamp & Sally Gibbs, and Audrey Heitkamp & Corey Drees; niece Etta Anderson and nephew Jasper (Buzz) Murphy; and countless other friends and family who will all miss him dearly.
This website is under construction and we are collecting materials to publish. Please consider submitting your memories of Matthew and examples of his work via this form for publication here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvnIby3-bxFGwT6d1O_BtSIIaeNnuq6diPvMjgGQOj29ev3w/viewform
