The Nevada Sagebrush

Tony Contini/Nevada Sagebrush: About 150 students gather in front of the Joe Crowley Student Union with lit candles to celebrate the life of Matthew Trabert.

When Matthew Trabert was alive, he was always recognized among his friends for his infectious charisma, gregarious personality and a San Francisco Giants cap he wore nearly every day. Sunday night, when friends and family gathered on campus for one last goodbye to the 20-year-old business major, dozens of his signature hats with his name embroidered on the back dotted the crowd.

Trabert was killed Aug. 9 when the Jeep he was in overturned near Pyramid Lake. He was the only passenger of the three to be killed.  The driver and passenger sustained minor injuries. The driver was arrested on drunk-driving-related charges, according to reports from the Washoe County Sheriff.

The candlelight vigil held Sunday night was meant as a positive way to remember Trabert, said Casey Stiteler, one of Trabert’s fraternity brothers in Sigma Nu who helped organize it. About 150 people lit candles in front of the Joe Crowley Student Union to remember their friend.

During the service, Patrick Kealy, who said he grew up down the street from Trabert in Reno, gave a speech to remember him and to remind the people gathered there to live their lives as Trabert would’ve wanted them to.

“Matt was an incredible athlete and he lived his whole life like he played his sports,” Kealy said. “Whether he was competing on the slopes, on a football field or just hanging out at a friends house or with family, he was constantly exploding with positive energy.”

Shortly after the news of the accident reached them, Kealy said a group of friends Trabert went to high school and started embroidering about 100 Giants hats with his name on them to wear as a memorial to their friend.

When Trabert was a senior in high school, Kealy said he brought him to his first fraternity house, Alpha Tau Omega. Right away, Kealy knew his younger friend was destined for Greek life.

“You’d think that a 17-year-old in that position would be a little bit intimidated, but this is Matty-T we’re talking about, “ Kealy told the crowd. “I hadn’t even had him there for five minutes and already he had jumped on a couch and was leading the whole room in the Soulja Boy dance.”

When Trabert came the University of Nevada, Reno and decided to pledge for Sigma Nu instead of ATO, Kealy said he was disappointed he wouldn’t be able to take him as his little brother.  In retrospect, he said he was thankful things turned out that way.

“By joining (Sigma Nu), Matt was exposed to a whole new group of people and by expanding his horizons he was able to share his gift and remarkable character with a larger part of this campus,” Kealy said.

Trabert’s fraternity was an important part of his life, said Scott Trabert, his father. His connection to Sigma Nu showed in the past two weeks by the showing of support from fraternity brothers.

“What the men at Sigma Nu did for us was simply amazing,” the father said. “It really helps us to know that our son was able to touch so many people like this.”

After Kealy’s speech, the crowd sat silently for a number of minutes, letting their candles burn before slowly filing into line to sign a guestbook for Trabert’s family.

“It’s just everybody not wanting to let go,” Riley Cate, a 20-year-old business management major who said Trabert was his best friend since the boys were 6 years old, said. “You can’t let go of someone like him.”

Nevada Sagebrush reporter Ben Miller contributed to this story. Jay Balagna can be reached at jbalagna@nevadasagebrush.com.

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