Matthew L. Gilleran: Farewell to a creative, caring teen

Florida Keys News - Key West Citizen

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Matthew L. Gilleran: Farewell to a creative, caring teen

BY TERRY SCHMIDA Citizen Staff
tschmida@keysnews.com

Tears and laughter, music and candles, and green and blue clothing were all in abundance Wednesday night, as 200 or so Key West High School students paid their respects to their fallen schoolmate, Matthew Logan Gilleran.

The 14-year-old, 9th-grade honor student died Sunday at a Miami hospital after shooting himself in the head Friday at his Old Town home. Police said Gill...

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Thank You dalton2kw

Submitted on Mon, 01/21/2013 - 6:45am by Marie

Thank you for your thoughtful compliment dalton2kw, you raised my spirts in this very difficult time. We are a strong, supportive community and I believe we can work through this terrible tragedy and help our young people in the future. That would be the most wonderful legacy for Matthew. I was very close to him for three years in Middle School and he would want his peers to become more aware of their actions toward each other because he was such a loving boy himself. Matthew had such a beautiful, generous spirit, and I feel stongly that he will continue to show us how to support each other if we allow that.

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Bullying

Submitted on Fri, 01/18/2013 - 9:23am by dalton2kw

Both of my children were bullied in high school. Fortunately, they went on to college & had great experiences there & are outstanding adults. However, it is often very difficult to get past those high school years. There are usually too few peers, too few teachers and, certainly, way too few administrators to care. What a loss. My heart breaks for this young man's family & friends.

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Tragedy deserves truth --

Submitted on Thu, 01/17/2013 - 7:28pm by Key West Guy

There's a disconnect from reality, when the administration insists that bullying was not involved, but the students at the memorial speak of those "being hounded by cruel and thoughtless classmates."

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That is because the majority

Submitted on Fri, 01/18/2013 - 7:45am by george

That is because the majority of the bullies are conchs or star athletes. The whole culture of bullying is ridiculous down here. The kids see their conch parents bully their way into office and jobs and push around the non conchs, and the athletes know that they are athlete students not student athletes, where they are even excused from skipping class or walking off campus because "sports is their only chance". To bad they cant' read. Then again what do you expect from an elementary principle running the high school like key west was some small town.

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By George

Submitted on Sat, 01/19/2013 - 3:15pm by Exasperated

Stop picking on Amber. Learn the proper use of the word "principal" and "principle". Your so jealous of Conchs. Monique caused this whole thing. Amber and Mike would have been running the district office by now. Just like the ole days with good ole Bookie and Glenn. Now we have non conchs running the education system which belongs to us. So sad.

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Monique caused all of this ?

Submitted on Mon, 01/21/2013 - 9:21am by trapper

Do you mean that her getting caught exposed some of the rest of the corruption that already existed long before she arrived ? Amber is just the legacy of nepotism that exists. I'll stop with that statement, since if you post the truth about her activities the paper will never print it. btw, if you are going to correct someones spelling check your own first.

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Or write

Submitted on Sat, 01/19/2013 - 12:00pm by Cake

"Too" ;)

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Lovely Young Man

Submitted on Thu, 01/17/2013 - 8:49am by Marie

What beautiful manners this outstanding boy had in the classroom and all over campus. He read a book a day. I admired him so much. Losing his potential will affect our community far into the future. I am praying for his parents, brothers, and friends.