By KATH GANNAWAY
THE death of Coldstream teenager Josh Matthews has devastated family and friends across Yarra Ranges.
The 17-year-old, described as genuine and inspirational beyond his years, died of a suspected asthma attack on Wednesday morning.
He was at Phillip Island with a number of friends when he died.
Heartfelt and heart-broken messages of grief, paying tribute to a talented and loved young man, and offering condolences to those close to him, flooded Facebook tribute pages reflecting his character and the impact he had made as a person who never took life for granted.
Known to family and friends as ‘Turbo’, Josh was a co-school captain at Lilydale Heights Secondary College where he completed his VCE this year, and a member of Coldstream Football Club.
His father Roger said he received the shocking news early on Wednesday morning and is devastated.
The family were among hundreds of family and friends who gathered at Lillydale Lake on Thursday to pay tribute and release balloons in his memory.
President of Coldstream Football Club Paul Harper described Josh as a natural leader who was a hard worker and dedicated to the club.
“He was just genuine,” he said. “My nine-year-old son just adored him … everyone did.”
Mr Harper said when the club was going through rough times recently Josh was the first one to put his hand up and was inspirational not only to the other players, but to everyone at the club as they looked at rebuilding.
“With Turbo, it was just ‘I can’t wait to get started’; he had a great capacity enjoying being part of something, and that was infectious,” he said.
Lilydale Heights principal Greg Hancock said Josh had led the college with real distinction. He was a champion of the student voice and had led the school and his house in swimming and athletics.
“I lost count of the number of medals I have presented to him,” Mr Hancock said.
He said Josh had a great personality, was a happy teenager who was focused on being healthy, behaving responsibly and was a great role model.
“Because he touched every year level in his leaderships through the SRC and as school captain, putting our breakfast club in place, for example, he touched the lives of so many. It’s a great sadness for every student, teacher and staff member,” he said.
Roger Matthews said while he and his wife Emily were proud of all Josh’s accomplishments, it was who he was as a person that made them really proud.
He said he said he took on board the lessons he learned and grew, adapted and matured.
“Through the process of Josh being Josh, those achievements came,” he said.
A funeral service will be held for Josh on Wednesday, 4 December at 10.30am, at Discovery Church, 89 Monbulk Road, Mount Evelyn.
