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Nearly a week has passed since a Raceland Cub Scout named Owen Matherne, who will be seven forever, was laid to rest at St. Hilary of Poitiers Church.
But the pain of loss runs too deep for most who loved him to speak directly at length.
Nonetheless, some were able to share memories of the boy, a student at St. Mary’s Nativity School, who despite his tender age had displayed a grasp of and a love for matters of spirit and faith.
He died June 1 after frantic lifesaving efforts both in Raceland and Jefferson Parish, where he was taken by a helicopter, proved futile. The cause of death was drowning, during a summer that is young but already marked locally by similar deaths.
The family was at a party, on May 30, at a home on La. Highway 308 in Raceland. Owen, according to a statement issued by his family was, in a pool with other children. Adults, relatives said, were present at all times.
Someone noticed that something was wrong, a little before 2:40 p.m., and Owen was taken out of the pool, the victim of an apparent drowning.
The family’s official statement, prepared by Owen’s uncle, Brennan Matherne – who is the spokesman for Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre – states that firefighters and deputies responded to their call for help.
Chest compressions were being performed when the first responders arrived and took over.
“Efforts continued for approximately 45 minutes,” the statement reads, but Owen was unable to regain a pulse or breathe. A pulse returned after staff at Ocshner St. Anne Hospital did their work, but the boy was unable to breathe on his own and was flown to Ochsner Medical Center.
He was removed from life support two days later.
Owen’s father, Nicholas Matherne, said he and his wife Sarah were grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers following their tragedy.
“Now, God has called our baby home where he is living forever in peace and happiness. Owen experienced life with such wonder and amazement, and we have no doubt that he is experiencing heaven in the same way,” Nicholas said. “While we are experiencing sorrow now because he has left us, we know he is truly happy, and his smile will continue to brighten our days for years to come. We believe Owen truly understood how special God’s gift of life to him was, and he treasured it each and every day.”
Sarah Matherne expressed thanks for the first responders and everyone else who was helpful, people on the scene “giving every ounce of their effort to save our baby.”
“I have never been so humbled by people willing to give everything they had for someone they don’t even know,” Sarah said. “I don’t know all of your names, but I do know that our boy is praying for you all in heaven right now for your selflessness. We also thank each and every member of the medical staff at each hospital who poured their hearts and souls into their work to give Owen the best chance he could have to survive. Every last person was completely amazing and I can’t say enough about them. God has put all of these people in our lives to be examples of His love, and we are truly feeling it. We humbly ask for continued prayers for our family as we will need them now and always, and I can promise that our family, including Owen, will pray for you in return.”
At St. Hilary of Poitiers Church, where visitation and a funeral mass were held last week, hundreds of photos were used for collages that showed every stage of the boy’s brief life.
“It was nearly impossible to find a photo where Owen wasn’t laughing, smiling or making a funny face. It was clear the he enjoyed life to the fullest,” said his Uncle Brennan. “Nicholas and Sarah were so strong … it was amazing. They were actually consoling others. It was truly remarkable – but a clear testament to their strong faith. In fact, their poise, strength and grace throughout probably strengthened the faith of anyone with whom they came in contact.”
Jill Matherne, Brennan’s wife, is daycare director and co-owner of Cradle to Crayons in Lockport, where Owen attended daycare from 2009 to 2012.
“Owen was one of the cutest, sweetest kids ever to attend our daycare, and we fell in love with him immediately. He was so intelligent, and he had such an incredible imagination. He always had a smile on his face, and every one of our employees adored him. It was through his attendance that I got to know his family, including his uncle Brennan who I eventually married,” she said. “My life has been so wonderful since meeting Owen, and I can only pray to live my life with the wonder and awe that he did. We will miss him, but we trust God, and we know Owen is now eternally happy in heaven.”
Aline Arcement, who was Owen’s pre-kindergarten teacher, taught him in pre-kindergarten, and recalls him as a “very adventurous, spirited little child. He was very inquisitive, always wanted to know above and beyond, asking why things were happening, why things work in a certain manner … He put a sign on my heart that I will cherish forever.”
He was inquisitive without being overbearing, she said, and gentle in all ways.
Owen was always first to help a classmate who was stuck with a computer problem, or needed some other type of help. His little brother Eli, the teacher said, is very much the same.
“It is not every day that we see a child with that kind of love, just being such a gentle person,” Arcement said. “It is not every day that those children walk in my door at the age of four.”
Owen Matherne in his Cub Scout uniform. His cub Wolf pack was led by his father, Nicholas Matherne
