Painley remembered as man who loved outdoors, family, God
HOPWOOD – Matthew Painley, the 19-year-old Slippery Rock University freshman who died in a kayaking accident Saturday on the Youghiogheny River, was a young man who loved God and was devoted to his family. Painley’s mother, Ruth Painley, said Monday that she and her daughters Sarah, 26, Amanda, 24, and Abigail, 15, haven’t received any answers from Ohiopyle State Park officials about the cause of her son’s death.
Officials said Saturday that they believed Painley was on the rapids alone because he was spotted entering the river on his kayak about 15 minutes after a raft carrying several people set off from the shore.
According to the Ohiopyle State Park register, Painley, who was a guide on the Youghiogheny River with Wilderness Voyagers, planned to raft a one-mile section of the river called “The Loop” at about noon.
A father and son who were fishing on the river and were about 175 yards down river from the rapids said they saw Painley grab for a branch and scream for help. The fishermen called 911 at about 12:30 p.m.
Painley apparently encountered trouble in an area called Entrance Rapids, about a tenth of a mile from where he entered the water, according to Douglas Hoehn, Ohiopyle Park operations manager.
Painley was the first person to drown in the Yough rapids since 2000.
Painley was pronounced dead by a Fayette County deputy coroner at about 4:40 p.m.
Fayette County Coroner Dr. Phillip Reilly said Painley was a “very likeable young man who was considered the man of the house and helped his mother and sisters all the time.”
Reilly also said that Painley planned to give his older sister away in marriage this fall.
Painley was a CORE (Center for Organ Recovery and Education) organ and tissue donor and Reilly said he had the potential of helping 180 donors through his donation of tissue, bone and bone marrow.
Ruth Painley said she and her daughters would miss Matthew terribly.
“He was the perfect son and brother,” said Painley. “The first thing he wanted to do after he got his driver’s license was drive to church.”
Painley was a member of St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church of Uniontown, where he was an altar boy and served on the church council. Painley said her son led a group of teens from the church to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, last year to see the pope.
His sister Amanda said, “He just loved and got along with everyone. He simply loved people, kids and animals and he loved the outdoors. He loved kayaking and he once told me that when he was on the river he felt like he had no worries at all.”
Amanda said her brother was a sports-oriented type of guy who was on the varsity football and wrestling teams while at Laurel Highlands High School.
“He also did competitive rock and ice climbing,” Amanda said, “and I think that’s why he decided to major in physical education at Slippery Rock University.”
Ruth Painley said her son would have given anything he had to anyone because that’s just the kind of person he was.
“He enjoyed being a guide and just decided while on spring break to go kayaking. The weather was nice and he was so happy when he left here on Saturday,” said Amanda Painley. “He was so looking forward to time on the river.”
Amanda Painley said Matthew lived his life from a Bible passage he had on his bedroom mirror from Isaiah 12:2 that read, “God indeed is my Savior; I am confident and unafraid.”
Friends will be received in the Donald R. Crawford Funeral Home, Hopwood, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and until 10 a.m. Wednesday when a Panachida Service will be held.
Divine Liturgy follows at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, East Main Street, Uniontown, with the Rev. Thomas Wesdock as celebrant.