Clay County friends remember Matt Mason

KEARNEY, Missouri - One of the 30 Navy SEALS killed in Afghanistan was 37-year-old Matt Mason, who grew up in Clay County.

He graduated from Kearney High School in 1992.

Friends say he leaves behind parents and a brother in Holt and Liberty. His wife and two kids live in Virginia Beach, where she's expecting their third child.

Friends are remembering Matt's life with a great deal of respect for his service to our country.

When a neighbor came over to ask: "Do you remember Matt Mason?," his former teacher and coach feared the worst.

"I looked at him and I said, don't tell me, don't tell me, don't tell me," recalls John Ball.

Ball was a position coach when Mason played football.

Mason concentrated on football and baseball his senior year, but played several sports as he grew up.

Ball remembers him as aggressive and determined.

"He was very loyal. If he set his mind to doing something, he usually did get it done," said Ball.

It's been many years since Mason left the Kearney area to go off and serve in the military.

But people have been tracking him through those years.

They were very proud when he made the Seals. They were worried about him when he was injured in Iraq. And now, they're now remembering him and sharing stories about his life.

"He was a tough kid. He was a blue collar kid," recalls Eric Marshall.

Marshall is one year older than Matt and is now the vice-principal at Kearney High.

He remembers Mason's leadership potential and work ethic.

"It didn't surprise anybody that he was able to have that type of success, and achieve Navy Seal status," said Marshall.

The local newspaper reported details of his injuries when Matt was hurt during fighting in Iraq in 2004.

Friends say he worked his way back to war duty, rather than getting stuck with desk duty.

"He was serving our country; he was out living his life as he wanted to do it. And what more honorable way to do it than what he was doing. He lived life, and that was Matt. That was Matt," said Ball.

Mason's friends say they expect there will be some kind of community wide memorial service - but it's too early to say when.

Matt's parents may be out of town. A neighbor says he thinks they've already headed to Virginia Beach to be with Mason's wife.

Matt also played baseball while getting his college degree at Northwest Missouri State.