A 24-year-old National Guard pilot died last week in a ski accident at the American Dream mall in New Jersey, according to officials and family members.
Pilot First Class Peter R. Mathews had served in the Maryland Air National Guard since 2020, the 175th Air National Guard Wing said in a statement announcing his off-duty death.
Matthews, of Bay Shore, N.Y., was with his sister at the indoor ski resort in East Rutherford, N.J., on Thursday when he fell backward and hit his head while skiing, his sister Sarah Matthews told Newsday .
According to reports, Matthews received life-saving measures on the slope and was rushed to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he died.
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Matthews, 24, followed in his father’s footsteps and became a pilot.
(175th Wing, MD ANG)
Matthews is the crew chief of the 175th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Earlier this year, he was awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal for his achievements in two Eastern European exercises led by the U.S. Army in Europe.
“Peter was truly an amazing man, his smile lit up the room. If you had the opportunity to talk to him, you knew immediately that he had an extraordinary future and was destined for greatness,” said U.S. Air Force Sergeant Major Say. Jeffrey Golabiewski, Senior Soldier Captain, 175th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.
Earlier this year, Matthews was awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal for his accomplishments during exercises in Eastern Europe.
(175th Wing, MD ANG)
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“He’s following in his father’s footsteps as a pilot,” Golabiewski continued. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and everyone who knew Peter.”
According to the Indian Evangelist, Matthews is survived by his father and mother, Roy Matthews and Susmi Matthews, and his two younger sisters, Sarah and Grace.
The slopes at the American Dream complex’s indoor ski resort in East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S., Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019.
(Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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The 24-year-old will be buried at Calverton National Cemetery in Riverhead, New York.
