Murder victim’s family hosts blood donor clinic

VANCOUVER, B.C. — He wanted to be known as “meticulous Matt,” said Cheryl Vinall, the mother of 21-year-old Matthew Skura who was murdered in 2009, referring to her late’s son work and passion of fixing cars. Skura was attacked by two teens, in a church parking lot in Cloverdale, when he stepped in to help a friend who had been punched.  His head was kicked in by one of the young men, fracturing his skull. He was taken to hospital but never recovered, and when his family took him off life-support, they donated his organs. Now, they hope to celebrate his short life on what would have been his 27th birthday, by asking others to donate their blood.

“When you give blood you’re seeing it and you’re feeling it and you’re in it and I want them to be more aware that we’re fragile. One hit, one kick, 12 seconds and Matt was gone,” Vinall told Global News.  

The clinic is being held today at Blacklock Elementary School in Langley, and according to the event’s Facebook page almost every single one of the 140 appointment spots had been filled.

Skura’s family hopes to make this an annual tradition and honour his memory by continuing his tradition of saving others.