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Show Standard Examiner Monday, October 5, 2015 9A Matt's mission: Greeting shoppers at Deseret Industries Man, 22, with Down syndrome finds a way to serve others By ANGIE ERICKSON . . Standard-Examiner staff.,, Ma rrt/ptf-ski-try tile, HARRISVILLE — When his brother Brayden left to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Matt Nielsen knew it was something he wanted to do — and he wasn't going to let his disability stop him. On Feb. 22,1993, Matt was born with Down syndrome. The doctors told his parents, Dennis and MeLisa, that he had some heart defects that were very common in Down syndrome kids and that surgery would be required when he was older. However, when Nielsen was just 4 years old, doctors found a brain and spinal cord tumor. The tumor was shaped like a dumbbell — big in Matt's brain, skinny through his neck and spinal cord, then big again down his back and spinal cord, his sister Dant Krum wrote on her blog. The doctors determined it was a fatty tumor and not cancerous. They were able to remove only about 20 percent of it, leaving Matt on a ventilator, fed by a gastrointestinal tube and in a wheelchair. "He does drink Diet Coke by the gallon," his mom said, laughing. "He was on and off the vent when he first got sick. When they took the vent out for the first time, his first words were 'Diet Coke.' He wanted to drink a Diet Coke." Later, she continued, "My son Brayden had a group of friends in high school who were Matt's best friends. When Brayden and that group of friends all left on missions within months of one another, Matt started talking about how he was going to go on At first, she thought the possibility of his serving a mission would be difficult. She thought they could maybe do "something" and call it a mission — and then she learned about the young church-service missionary program. They applied. According to LDS.org, men and women with a wide range of talents and abilities may choose to serve at a church welfare facility as a young church-service missionary (YCSM). YCSMs serve as close to full time as their capabilities and situations allow and usually serve for 18 to 24 months, although shorter terms are possible. Matt doesn't see himself as having any physical or medical problems. "I think he understands that he's different, but I don't think it bothers him at all," MeLisa said. "I think he is just so happy that he never is sad about his circumstances, ever. He is sad about your circumstances if you're sad, but he's not sad about his." Now at 22 years old, Matt has been called to serve at the Harrisville Deseret Industries with his mother. They go together; he works as a greeter, and she works in the women's department. "Matt can make you feel like you are the most important person in the world — not just in the room, but in the world," said his mom. "He sees people's goodness. He sees the inside, not the outside." "He's my best friend," said his sister Dam. "He has brought more joy to our family than anyone else. My parents have taught us that, just because Matt is different, it doesn't mean he doesn't get to do things with us. "He's been swimming, skiing — all of these things that somebody in his situation couldn't normally do, but his parents always adapted the situation to Emmy Lowe Photography Matt Nielsen, 22, has Down syndrome and serves an LDS mission at Deseret Industries in Harrisville. make it work for him." Real Salt Lake and the Utah When Matt is not serv- Jazz, playing his Xbox — ing at the Desert Indus- and, of course, drinking tries, he loves watching Diet Coke. |
