About Matthew William Benedict
Matthew W. Benedict, born and raised in Eden, NY, was known for his compassion, kindness, and quiet strength. A 2011 graduate of Nichols School and a 2015 graduate of Middlebury College, Matthew excelled both academically and athletically. During his time playing college football, he sustained multiple concussions—injuries that likely contributed to the mental health challenges he later faced.
Despite his personal struggles, Matthew became a strong advocate for mental health awareness, using his voice to help others. Tragically, he died by suicide in 2019.
One Last Goal honors Matthew’s legacy by raising awareness of the correlation between concussions, repetitive head impacts, and mental health. Our mission is to break the stigma, promote education, research, and early intervention, and ultimately safeguard the mental well-being of individuals—on and off the field.
“Before I begin, I do not want to hear any words of how courageous I am because frankly it is the opposite. It is much easier now that I graduated to tell my story, so I apologize for not having more courage…I do not like to draw attention to myself and often get embarrassed in front of crowds or when other people talk about me. I have suffered two severe episodes of depression these past two years. These times have been the scariest times of my life and have lasted many months. Not scary because I was actually scared, but scary because I felt nothing at all. The emptiness was devastating and it was beyond frustrating not knowing what really caused it.” Matthew’s words from May 2015
“Tell everyone you love them every single day, and treat those you don’t know with the same love.” -Matthew Benedict