Matthew Riga

Matthew Haag Riga, age 39, resident of Birmingham, MI passed away on Saturday, October 31, 2020. Beloved husband of Kristin. Proud father of Jack and Riley. Loving son of Steven (Tracy Tener) and Debra born in Dearborn, MI. Dear brother of Elizabeth Riga (Gabriel Bedoya) and Joshua Riga. Adoring uncle of Luke, Elle, Liv, Gracelyn, Scarlett and Joshua. If he could have chosen to live his life any different than he did, Matthew wouldn't have changed a thing. He had everything he wanted and he was doing exactly what he wanted. And along the way, he found the woman of his dreams, created a beautiful family, forged many friendships, and earned their respect and appreciation. He was a husband, a father, a brother, a devoted son, a friend and confidant. Matt was the best of us. The kind of man one rarely meets, but once one does, never forgets. He is the person to whom we all aspire. He was insurmountable: intelligent, witty, athletic and charismatic. Matt was destined for greatness. And that's exactly what he achieved. Matt measured his prosperity in devotion. His worth can be found in every member of his family. His achievements are his friendships. He not only battled for his own illness, he did it for every other person fighting the same fight. His greatest accomplishment, the complete and absolute love he shared with his wife. And his greatest legacy is his children. He was a leader through kindness, through humility, and through bravery. We recognized his value immediately. Instinctively, we wanted to keep him close. We sought out his guidance and instruction. But he gave us so much more than we expected. He didn't just give us his attention, he gave us his time. Matt inhabited authenticity. For him, every friend, every person, every stranger, was someone who deserved his consideration, his thoughtfulness, his care, and his kindness. His interest in us was real. He had a genuine curiosity about our lives, our families, and our work. Our concerns became his concerns. And, every conversation he had with us was a conversation filled with honesty, sincerity, and affection. In passing, Matt still gave so much of himself. He gave us his courage. He gave us his humor. He gave countless people his time and his energy, and used his abilities to give those same people hope and opportunity. Instead of listening to his doctors, he gave us nearly five more beautiful years and he used that precious time to inspire, to encourage, and to motivate. If we never thought of Matt as a teacher and a champion, we do now. Please know that he fought. He fought through his very last breath to stay here, to be with us, and to love us. He did not want to go. He wanted to live. He wanted to keep on working with his dad and his brother. He wanted to play with his nieces and nephews. He wanted to continue holding his wife every night as she slept. He wanted to stand next to his son, welled up with pride just as his father had always been at his side. He wanted to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. Matt wanted life. Please know that he was at peace when he left us. We told him how much we loved him. We told him how much we treasure him. He showed us how to be brave. At the end, we comforted him and we supported him, and we helped him leave, but we did it as he would have done for us, with complete and perfect love. There will be a private family Memorial Service held Friday November 6th, 2 p.m., which will be live-streamed to the public on the Wm. Sullivan and Son Funeral Directors website. Following the Memorial Service there will be a Celebration of Matt's Life from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Birmingham Country Club, 1750 Saxon Drive, Birmingham, MI 48009. In an effort to keep everyone healthy and stay in compliance with COVID restrictions set by the Michigan Department of Public Health, we have been asked for everyone to wear a mask and to try to limit the number of people in the outdoor tent area at Birmingham Country Club. To accomplish this we are asking individuals with last names of A-L to visit from the hours of 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. and those ending in M-Z to visit between the hours of 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. We certainly understand if you are not able to make it during these set times and you are welcome at any time. There will be a short toast to Matt at 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Thanks to everyone for their understanding during this most difficult time. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions appreciated to the LUNGevity Foundation, please visit lungevity.org

Matthew Riga

October 27, 1981 - October 31, 2020