The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
The last six-plus years have been volatile ones for Matthew Rodriguez.
The Franklin High School junior has gone from being in a seven-month coma when he was 11 years old, to celebrating the publication of his first book on February 28 in the school library.
Joined by family, friends, school and district administrators and first responders, Rodriguez celebrated the publication of his “My Way,” a compendium of inspirational thoughts, highlighted by “conversations” among his past, present and future selves.
“Overall, I’m really proud that I survived this, so far,” Rodriguez told the crowd that joined him to celebrate.
Rodriguez was struck by a van shortly before 9 a.m. on October 21, 2019 when he was crossing Franklin Boulevard, near Hillcrest School.
He was severely injured, and lay in a coma for the next seven months.
Friends held a prayer vigil for him in the township Cultural Arts Gazebo on October 31, and the school district’s PTOs collaborated on gathering gift cards and created a “meal train” for his family.
Rodriguez survived, although he was wheelchair-bound with a tracheostomy tube and was facing years of doctors’ visits and procedures.
In November 2020, Rodriguez appeared with his family at Franklin Middle School – Hamilton Street campus to thank supporters for their donations, and also to receive a van that had been purchased with the help of township residents who raised about $11,000 toward its purchase.
The book, Rodriguez said, “is a survival autobiography meant to give people inspiration to just keep going and to never lose hope despite negative circumstances. The motivational message of the story is to stay strong.”
“I use that saying every time someone asks, how did you survive?” he said. “I survived because of God, my family, prayers, and my resilience.”
FHS vice principal Sharonda Martin told the group assembled in the school’s library that Rodriguez first showed her the the pieces of writing that would eventually become the book during lunch periods.
“We had a comprehensive conversation with Matthew’s family last year,” she said. “We talked about Mr. Rodriguez’s passion and want for a book like this to exist, because when Matthew and his family were going through his recovery and the new normal, there was nothing to reference in terms of stories of students. There was no student voice present in the waiting room areas or in the hospital rooms for families to refer to as their children were going through.”
Given the go-ahead by FHS principal Genesi Miles, Martin and several others – including members of the Franklin Township Police Department – worked on the book, she said.
“It took about a year for us to pull it together,” she said. “Franklin Township Police Department committed to supporting this, and days and days of work, and tailoring, revising, editing, and putting together.”
“I’m so proud to be your Vice Principal,” Martin said to Rodriguez. “I’m so proud of you … and thank you for all your hard work, and dedication, and commitment to this venture, and this book.”
His book “gives honor to his past, his present, and his future,” Miles said. “And if you look around the room, there are folks here from his past, present, and certainly people that will be here for his future as well.”
“I just want to say to Matthew and to his family that this is an amazing young man because what he faced back in 2019 was something that most kids would not be able to overcome,” she said. “Yet, he is thriving. He wrote an amazing book that me and my daughter enjoy every single night since we’ve gotten the book.”
“And anyone who has ever known Matthew or seen him, he always has that smile on his face,” she said. “If that’s not the image of a Warrior, I don’t know what is. He makes his own determination for that.”
Miles spoke to the family in Spanish: “So, Padres, que orgullo tener un hijo que tiene tanto éxito, que quería compartir su historia con los demás, para que ellos sepan que ellos también pueden.”
(Parents, what a source of pride to have a son who is so successful, who wanted to share his story with others, so that they know that they can too.)
“He wanted to share his story so that other people in his same shoes know that they too can overcome challenges, that one small moment does not define their lives, and that they can do whatever they want to do,” she said.
“Matthew, I can’t wait to read more of your stories in your future,” she said. “And I just want to thank you for everything that you’ve brought to the Franklin High School community and the Franklin Township School District.”
Stephanie Breznak, Rodriguez’s teacher at Hillcrest, said she was the first teacher Matthew and his father, Oscar, met at the school.
“I remember that day very vividly, and I remember thinking to myself, after meeting Matthew, what a very authentic kid he was,” she said. “He was full of energy, had a comedic sense of humor, and always had a smile from ear to ear. I remember thinking to myself, this kid’s going to do great things in his life.”
After the accident, she said, “I remember being at the hospital several times, talking with his dad and sitting with his mom, and talking to Matthew in the ICU. I remember going home each night and saying my prayers that Matthew was going to be okay.”
“Matthew, it is with great honor and privilege that I can stand here with you and your family today and share this very special moment in your life,” she said.
Breznak gave Rodriguez a Certificate of Achievement on behalf of herself and Dan Loughran, the district’s Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum.
“We, along with your family and everyone in this room, are extremely proud of you for your creativity in publishing your book, ‘My Way,’ and for your bravery,” she said. “Continue to stay positive throughout your life. We cannot wait to see what the future holds in store for you. You are the true definition of a Warrior.”
Matthew’s father, Oscar, thanked those in attendance for celebrating his son’s book.
“I think I don’t have enough words to say how much I appreciate everybody that has been involved on this dream,” he said.
He said he considered the entire community part of his family, and that Matthew’s book could be an inspiration.
“Inspiration to continue, to keep writing, to keep producing books,” he said. “Don’t forget about that wonderful thing that is reading.”
Reading, he said, is the biggest contributor to children’s brains, imagination and inspiration.
Board of Education member Nick DiMeglio organized the meal train and GoFundMe that helped the Rodriguez family in the aftermath of the accident.
“Back in October of 2019, this community came together,” he said. “We launched a GoFundMe because Matthew needed a van to get to and from doctor appointments. Mr. Rodriguez came to me at the President’s Council and said they needed some help to get a van so Matthew could get to the doctor appointments.”
“And within a month, on November 11, 2020, we were able to raise $11,000 for that van,” he said.
“Tonight is more than just a book signing,” DiMeglio said. “It’s a celebration of courage, faith, family, and extraordinary power of this community.”
“Matthew, your story is not just about survival,” he said. “It’s about resilience. It’s about faith. It’s about your father and your mom’s love. It’s about family strength, our first responders who never gave up, and the community that showed up without hesitation. So, Matthew, may God continue to bless you and your family.”
Chris Munoz, president of the FHS Class of 2027, turned the book’s title into an acronym.
“M stands for move forward anyway. No matter the obstacle, you keep going,” he said.
“Y, your limits do not divide you,” he said. “Other people’s expectations do not control your now or your future.”
“W, win differently, success does not have one look,” he said. “We all define what winning means to each of us.”
“A, adapt and rise,” he said. “You adjusted, learned, came back stronger.”
“Y, your power is permanent,” he said. “What challenges you does not control you.”
“Matthew, you are the narrator of your own story, and we are proud to call you a winner,” Munoz said.
Also attending were juniors Elizabeth Amaro and Moncerrat Diaz-Quiroz and senior Kalyne Velasquez Ayala, who contributed illustrations for the book.
During teh evening, Rodriguez signed books with a specially-made rubber stamp
Here are some scenes from the event:
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