As a kid, Matthew Guerra never failed to make his sister laugh. Whether it was by making crazy sounds or poorly mimicking a rapper, he brought sunshine into his family’s life.
“Every time he used to make this monkey sound like ‘oo oo ah ah’, or when music came on, he used to freestyle even though couldn’t rap but he tried,” Matthew’s younger sister, Gabby, said as she laughed at the memory.
Years later, Matthew would have difficulties in life after growing up in foster care, but despite this, you never saw him without a smile. He vowed to make a difference in his life for his sister and niece, and he did. But it wasn’t enough to keep him alive. On Aug 27, 2019, Matthew was shot and killed on Mantua and Reno streets.
Matthew and Gabby were born one year apart in North Philadelphia but were always moving around. “We got adopted when I was three and he [Matthew] was 4. We’re from North Philly, we lived in Southwest for a while then we had to leave foster care at 18 that landed us in Delaware County,” Gabby says.
Gabby describes Matthew as an enthusiastic person who made sure to stay positive. “When he got kicked out, he wasn’t in the greatest of places but that never stopped him from smiling.”
Matthew was a talented kid, doing tricks and flips for his sister, who said she wasn’t surprised that he was good at. “Matthew was a really goofy and energetic kid, he would always flip around and do cartwheels,” Gabby recounts.
In fact, Matthew was so talented, he translated his acrobatic ability to become one of the best karate students at Penn Wood High School. “He did karate from 12 to 16. He barely liked it. It was one of those activities that our mom made us do, like taking up an instrument. He was really good at it though.”
However, as Matthew grew up, he began to act troublesome, which conflicted his participation in tournaments. “Because he was so bad he couldn’t do the tournaments,” Gabby said. “He always got into trouble.”
Because of Matthews actions and bad choices, it led him and his younger sister to lose contact for a while. “As kids we would play with each other but after a few years I didn’t really see him because he got kicked out of our foster home and sent to placement at 18.”
Never judge a book by its cover, however, because as soon as Matthew came out of placement, he was ready to change his life for his family. He had his little sister’s best interest at heart.
“When he came home, he was a new person,” she said. “He stopped smoking weed and he just chilled for a couple of months.”
Matthew also always made sure Gabby was safe like the protective big brother he was. “Matthew lived around the corner from me so he would walk me to school, and he would walk me to the trolley. I would say that was a good routine we had. And if I didn’t wake up and be around that corner in a timely manner, he would be at my door.”
Matthew had wishes of reconnecting with his biological parents. Gabby said his dream was to hopefully reconnect with them and that when he could live comfortably, he would then know he is at peace. “The Philadelphia foster care system isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be,” she said.
Because he was the older brother, Matthew made sure his little sister stayed on the right track as well. Gabby said she had been getting in a bit of her own trouble, and because Matthew was the older brother, he has made sure his little sister stayed on the right track as well. He was always looking out for her. “He made sure to advise me and look out for me and my daughter, Paris.”
His uplifting personality and inspiring determination to change will always be remembered. “I want everyone to remember that he was a bright soul no matter what he went through he always smiled, and he always loved the ones who loved him,” Gabby says.
If you have any information about this victim, please contact us at [email protected]
Date: 2019-08-27
Location: 3900 Reno St, Philadelphia, PA
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