Soldier From Hollywood Collapses, Dies After Training
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Investigators are trying to find out what caused a soldier to collapse and die after a routine training run - leaving his family devastated.
Matthew Hester collapsed and died Monday morning after coming back from training at Fort Carson in Colorado.
The Army Specialist and combat medic was 28-years old. The cause of his death remains under investigation.
Roneka Hester and her parents, Christine and Ronnie are devastated.
Matt had just texted his mother the night before to tell her he loved them - his last communication.
"I woke up the next morning and noticed he didn't text and I said, 'they must be real busy, the first day back out of the field and back on base," said his mother Christine.
Barely 30 and Matt already had a degree in anthropology from the University of Florida, a nursing degree from the University of South Florida, a love of golf, the saxophone, God, and family.
He wanted more than that. One day after a basketball injury Matt decided to challenge himself and join the U.S. Army last year.
"The Army, he had been doing, seeing some things and that looked pretty interesting to him. Not only interesting, it would give him the opportunity to see places he's never seen outside of the U.S. and help pay for his student loans," said his father Ronnie.
"It wasn't like we were happy about it. You really wanna go in the military? But I said, 'we'll support you. If that's what you want, we'll support you," said Christine.
He loved them for it - always assuring them in the long run, the military would also allow him to help his aging parents.
"Any adjective, that was him - from being joyful, grateful, kind, considerate," said Ronnie.
Matt is the second child the Hesters have lost recently. They lost a daughter to heart disease four years ago. An autopsy is being performed on Matt for a cause of death before his body is flown back.
A viewing is scheduled for Friday, August 5th at the Mitchell Funeral Home located at 8080 NW 22 Avenue in Miami. The following day, there will be a funeral service at the Cornerstone Bible Fellowship Church at 2390 NW 87 Street in Miami.
