East Carolinian

Issue date: 9/25/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: staff photo

Judy Shepard remembers her son as a charismatic young man who traveled the world and took a strong interest in politics.

"Matthew was always open for the next step and next challenge in life," said Shepard. "His experiences in his young life opened his eyes to differences around him and he was considered open-minded and a good friend to others."

Everything changed when Matthew was brutally attacked by two men the night of Oct. 6, 1998, and died from severe head injuries six days later.

Russell Arthur Henderson and Aaron James McKinney are currently serving life sentences without parole for assaulting and murdering Matthew because of his sexual orientation.

Last Thursday, Judy Shepard spoke in Hendrix Theater as part of Hate Out Week. Almost 10 years since his death, she spoke of her loss through the same victim impact statement that she read during the trial of her son's murderers.

"I will never understand how anyone could feel so threatened that they would want to harm him," she said. "He was my first born, my first son and most of all, my best friend."

Shepard spoke about when she received the call about her son.

"My husband and I were in Saudi Arabia at the time, and the trip to get to him felt like an eternity of not knowing if he would be alive when we got there," she said.

Upon returning to the United States and coming to Matthew's side, she could barely recognize her own son. He suffered severe brain stem damage from a fracture that extended from the back of his head to the front of his right ear, along with other injuries that were deemed too severe to be operated on.

"Matthew was emotionless and unaware, with his head swaddled in bandages and his face swollen and covered in stitches," she said. "The only way I recognized him was by the cute bump on the top of his left ear."

Students listened as Shepard discussed the hatred she felt from the two men who murdered Matthew, and the outpouring and support that she received from people around the country.

"We received monetary support from so many for the hospital bills, and with this, we decided to found the Matthew Shepard Foundation … the mission is to replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance," Shepard said.

She says that she does not blame the killers entirely for their actions, and believes society has forced stereotypes about the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) community into their heads. She believes that all issues apply to all minorities.

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