On Christmas morning of 2021, my boyfriend and soulmate Matthew Bonk committed gun suicide. This tragedy happened right in front of me in our new apartment. He was my everything for six years, and losing him feels like losing half of my heart and soul.
Matthew’s laugh and smile were contagious, and he was always himself, no matter who was around. Music was an enormous part of both of our lives, but especially Matt’s. He played in the Reno Philharmonic from middle school to high school, and he even had the honor of playing in Carnegie Hall. Matthew’s ambition and love for music made everyone around him incredibly proud. He will always be the bass to my cello.
Matt’s self-image was not always positive. He fought negative thoughts and feelings about himself all the time. But I loved everything about him. Nothing brought me more joy than getting to see him smile. His biggest goal was making me the happiest girl in the world, and he did that and then some.
I’m so thankful to have a community and platform to share my story and rally with others who understand the pain of losing a loved one to gun violence.