Revelations from the Brink

In his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Awful Thing,” Matthew offers a raw and unfiltered glimpse into the gravest moments of his life. He disclosed a harrowing experience at 49, where he nearly lost his life to an opioid overdose, leading to his colon bursting.

His ordeal included a two-week coma and a prolonged five-month hospital stay. He shared the chilling detail that doctors had given him a mere two percent chance of survival, with an ECMO machine being vital for his breathing and heart function. This near-death experience led to a profound realization of the dire consequences of his addiction.