Avid surfer known for his charity work was killed in Ethiopia crash – Daily News
#Avid, #surfer, #known, #charity, #work, #killed, #Ethiopia, #crash An avid surfer from New Jersey who was dedicated to saving the environment has been identified as one of the eight Americans killed in the horror Ethiopian Airlines crash over the weekend.Matt Vecere’s heartbroken family released a statement confirming his death on Tuesday, saying that he ‘would be missed by many’. ‘Matt was passionate about the environment, civil rights, social and environmental justice, and advocating for those less fortunate,’ his family said, according to NBC10. ‘His passion turned to direct action, rolling up his sleeves to serve causes where he could make a tangible difference. He volunteered countless hours with charitable organizations, at community events, and with numerous relief efforts after natural disasters. The family said Vecere was in Africa to attend the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, where Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 was headed when it crashed minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sunday morning. Scroll down for video Vecere had grown up in South Jersey but had lived in California for more than a dozen years, according to his family. He worked as a write for an air quality company called IQAir, which released a statement about his death on Tuesday. ‘It is with profound sadness that we announce the loss of our friend and colleague Matt Vecere,’ the air quality company wrote on its website. ‘Matt was an amazing writer, an avid surfer, and a truly selfless person. We will miss his laugh, his wit, his sense of humor, but most of all, the kinship and friendship that he brought to everything he did.’Vecere, one of many passengers who were heading to the UN assembly, felt a deep connection to environmental causes, according to those who knew him. He was also dedicated to helping victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, having made several mission trips to the island over the past several years. President Donald Trump tweeted about the crash on Tuesday morning – saying that planes have become ‘too complex – but has yet to pay tribute to the victims.As of early Wednesday, five of the eight victims had been named. Among them were two brothers, Melvin and Bennett Riffell of Redding, California. Melvin’s wife Brittney was expecting their first child, a daughter due in May.They had embarked on a final adventure before Melvin welcomed his first child. The brothers had been in Australia and Mogadishu before traveling to Africa. Share this article Share Following the brothers’ death, flowers have been placed at the base of a bell tower of their elementary school Saint Joseph Parish where their mother is the parish secretary. ‘These are two guys that when they’re in the room, you really know it,’ Jake Mangas, their longtime family friend and the Redding Chamber of Commerce President said to NBC late Monday. ‘These guys were just wonderful, and they’re going to be missed deeply by this community [and] for those family and friends that knew them the best,’
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