He's been found

Matt's remains have been found.
"Matt is coming home; he has completed his mission," said Keith Maupin in a news release Sunday. "After years of prayer and hope, we learned today that Matt died while in captivity. While this is not what we had hoped for, at least we know."

"It hurts," Carolyn Maupin said at a news conference earlier Sunday. "After you go through almost four years of hope, and this is what happens, it's like a let down, so I'm trying to get through that right now."

It hurts me too, Ms. Maupin. I feel like going outside and howling at the dark; crying just isn't enough. It's not what I hoped for either, Mr. Maupin. But at least we know. We know he's not being held and tortured. We know his remains will be back home soon. We know the lights have shown him the way home. And now we all know that everyone has done their damnest to bring him home... and succeeded.

I never knew Matt, but I've met your parents, brother, nephew, and cousins. Melissa was able to get tickets to last year's scholarship dinner, an event I will never forget. I know enough about him to mourn his loss and cry with your friends and family. It's been almost exactly four years since he disappeared. Some day very soon, we'll be able to say "Welcome home, Matt. Well done, Soldier. Well done.... now rest easy."