Matthew Robert Belfie

Matthew is survived by his loving parents, Barbara and David Belfie, and his sisters, Nicole Gray, Delaney, Annelise, and Hailey Belfie. He is also survived by his son Jude Wutzke and nephews, Nathaniel and Dominic Gray. He is predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Marion and Robert Schroeder, and his paternal grandparents, Noreen and William Belfie.

Matthew was born on August 22, 1991 in Seattle, Washington. He graduated from King’s High School in Shoreline, Washington, in 2009, and went on to attend Western Washington University. Matt was a natural at working with people of all ages. He was a long time employee at Avenue Bread and U-Haul. Most recently, he worked at QFC, where he shared his welcoming smiles, good naturedness, and strong work ethic. While Matt was a lover of all kinds of animals, he had an affinity for the many feline companions he had over the years. As a little boy, he was drawn to marine life of all kinds. His interest in whales in particular was evident to all his friends and family, from toys and posters as a child to a tattoo and a collection of whale art as an adult. From his earliest years, he loved to spend time at the beach and in nature. He found joy in drawing and creating, and surrounded himself with art and color. Matt especially loved to connect with friends through all kinds of music, and was always looking forward to attending his next EDM concert or festival.

Matthew struggled with anxiety and depression for many years, though he shielded it from others. Despite these daily battles, he continually prioritized others and was always willing to give of himself. He brought joy and compassion to everyone around him. He made an impression with his back-breaking hugs, his wide smiles, and by offering friendly conversation and words of encouragement to those he encountered. He connected with people from all walks of life and brought light into even the darkest of spaces. Matt went out of his way to serve neighbors, acquaintances, friends, and family in small ways and large: from recognizing customers that needed more help and going above and beyond for them, to supporting friends during emotionally difficult times.

Matt will always be remembered for the love and affection he showed everyone, especially family and friends. Despite all of the love he gave and the love others felt for him, his battle with anxiety and depression became too overwhelming. Matthew could not bear to live with the weight of these struggles and tragically decided to take his own life.

There is no way to adequately express our heartbreak over losing Matt. While we find some solace knowing he has been relieved of his immense pain, we hope no other family has to experience this kind of devastating loss. No one should have to feel alone in their struggles with mental health, and mental illness should be taken as seriously as physical illness. To honor his memory, we invite everyone to visit afsp.org, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, to learn more about helping those at risk. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the AFSP or other mental health and suicide prevention organizations. We have listed additional resources below:

● Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) - save.org

● National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) - nimh.nih.gov

● National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) - niaaa.nih.gov