Ceremony to honor Colby

Deirdre Newman

Matt Colby spent a lot of time on the athletic field at Estancia

High School. The 6-foot, 185-pound football player played defensive

end for the Eagles before transferring to Costa Mesa High School his

senior year, where he died as a result of injuries sustained in

football games last fall.

With the anniversary of his death approaching, a tree-planting

ceremony will be held at Estancia’s athletic field tonight to honor

his memory. The location overlooking the football field represents a

place that Matt would have cherished, said his mother, Kelli Colby.

“One of the things Matt told one of his friends before he died --

they watched ‘Pay It Forward’ and had a real big talk about life and

death,” Kelli Colby said. “He indicated he didn’t want to be a star.

He wanted to be the sun so he could shine on everyone. Up on the

hill, there’s a beautiful sunset, so we wanted to do it there.”

Colby died at the hospital in the early morning hours of Sept. 29

after taking himself out of a Costa Mesa High School game against

Ocean View High on Sept. 28.

Bleeding and swelling of the brain caused by repeated blunt-force

injuries to the head caused his death, according to a coroner’s

report released nine weeks after the popular defensive linebacker

collapsed on the sidelines.

At memorials after his death, Colby was remembered as a genuine

and friendly student by students of both schools. His premature death

brought the student bodies at the rival schools closer.

Estancia Principal Tom Antal said the school is honored to host a

tribute to one of its best-loved students.

“On behalf of Estancia, I just want to say how happy I am that we

will have a really beautiful tree that will be a lasting and living

monument and remembrance of Matt Colby, a really neat young man who

is well-remembered here,” Antal said.

Soon after her son’s death, a longtime family friend offered to

donate a tree in his memory, Kelli Colby said. While she wasn’t ready

emotionally then, she said she feels ready now to honor her son.

“Things are getting better,” she said. “I’m getting stronger,

feeling more hope instead of despair. It’ll be easier to reach out.”

The pepper tree will be planted at the far right end of the

football field in the corner, which is the perfect spot considering a

stadium is planned to be built there in the future, Kelli said.

The intention is to eventually plant a tree in honor of Matt at

both high schools, Kelli said.