Matthew Poyner was a brother, son and friend - a healthy 16-year-old from Great Falls, Virginia. On February 24, 2015, Matt died unexpectedly of acute viral myocarditis.  Matt was a caring and compassionate soul.  To know him was to know unconditional love and friendship; it was reflected in his infectious smile and his warm personality.  Matt was a natural athlete, a supportive teammate, a quiet leader and a serious competitor on the baseball diamond, the basketball court and along the links.

 

The Matthew Vernon Poyner Memorial Foundation (MVP Memorial Foundation) grew out of grief and inspired by #poynerstrong.  Its mission is to preserve and promote Matt’s legacy - his compassion for others, dedication to excellence, and love of competition through organized sports. The foundation honors:

 

• Matt’s competitive spirit and dedication to excellence - leadership scholarships are awarded to college bound seniors at area high schools in communities that supported him in his formative years. 

• Matt's compassionate spirit - support is granted to charitable pursuits that speak to Matt’s deep sense of patriotism and his desire to support Veterans and their families.

• Matt's life - grants are awarded for medical research into early detection and treatment of myocarditis in otherwise healthy young people.

 

Matt anticipated his future with joy and high hopes that many of his dreams would be fulfilled.  Matt’s foundation exists to celebrate Matt’s love of life, his compassion for others and his competitive spirit.