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TOOELE — Graduation day Thursday proved bittersweet for one Utah mom who has been in a fight to get her son awarded with an honorary diploma following the teen’s accidental death.
Nanci McConnell said her son Matthew had good grades and was on track to graduate from Stansbury High School prior to the ice fishing accident that took his life in February.
“We had no doubt that he would complete the last two terms,” she said in a room at the Huntsman Center, across from where other Stansbury seniors collected their diplomas.
The 17-year-old McConnell was discovered alongside his father, Steven, in an ice hut at Flaming Gorge. Investigators at the time said the two died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
McConnell said since that time, Stansbury High School has retired her son’s baseball jersey number and planted a tree in his honor, but Tooele County School District administrators have refused to issue her son an honorary diploma.
“I don’t think it’s right for any family to have to go through this,” Matthew’s brother Michael McConnell said.
A moment of silence recognized Matthew at Thursday night’s graduation ceremony, along with fellow senior Jesse Horowitz, who was killed in a stabbing attack.
In a written statement, Tooele County School District Superintendent Scott Rogers said the Board of Education “will be considering future guidelines to outline standards and practices regarding student memorials.”
What we do for one, we should do for all. Much effort has already been taken by individual schools to honor these students.
–Scott Rogers, Tooele County School District Superintendent
“What we do for one, we should do for all,” Rogers said in the statement. “Much effort has already been taken by individual schools to honor these students.”
Nanci and Michael McConnell still tear up looking at Matthew’s pictures.
“I think that the rest of the kids learned a lot from Matt,” Nanci said.
She said she hoped her son would be remembered as funny, compassionate and as a hard worker.
Michael said Matthew was an example to him.
“He was a shining star,” Michael said. “He gave his all for everything to everything.”
McConnell’s girlfriend, Rikkie Smith, was emotional as she walked during the ceremony, with Matthew’s picture in hand, taking him where he could no longer go himself.
Matthew’s mother said she fought for the moment of silence, and isn’t done fighting for an honorary diploma and the opportunity for others to receive the same recognition in the future.
“I’m hoping that Matt is looking down on me and saying, ‘You gave it a good fight, mom,’” she said. “And I’m going to respond back to him after tonight, ‘It’s not over yet.’”
