Let me tell you about my friend Matt, who died last Friday.

He lived in Whittemore, Iowa, a town of 497 people where everyone knows your name, your parents’ names, and usually your story. Matt’s story, however, was unlike any I had ever encountered. And even now, in its ending, it continues to teach.

Matt Koppen (1992 – 2026)

Matt was just 29 years old when his life changed forever. A massive stroke struck without warning. Through an almost unbelievable twist of fate, one blood clot collided with another and knocked it loose, saving his life. But survival came at a cost. During recovery, doctors discovered his heart was functioning at just 15 percent. A heart transplant wasn’t optional - it was the only path forward.

This was during COVID, when hospitals were overwhelmed and beds were scarce. His family made call after call, 32 hospitals in total, looking for someone who would take him. No one could. Until one young doctor at the Nebraska Medical Center saw the request. He recognized the Koppen name. He’d grown up in Armstrong, Iowa. He asked one simple question: Who is this 29-year-old who had a stroke and now needs a heart transplant? Then he made room. In his words, “I’ll put Matt in the hallway if I have to.”

Matt was placed at the top of the transplant list. He received a new heart. He also emerged with a debilitating condition that confined him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. For many, that might have been the end of the story.

For Matt, it was the beginning of a new chapter.

While rebuilding his life, Matt, with the steady help of his father, David, purchased a small fishing lure company called Canyon Plastics and ran it out of his garage in Whittemore. The business had passed through multiple owners across several states before landing in Matt’s hands. From a wheelchair, he packaged lures, filled orders, talked with customers, and kept the business alive. He fished. He mowed his lawn. He served on the community fire department and early response team. He contributed fully and unapologetically to the life around him.

Along the way, Matt married the love of his life, Kendra, at one point even exchanging vows in the ICU following his heart transplant. In November 2024, they welcomed a son, Bentlee, into the world. And when Matt needed help, his small Iowa community did what small communities do best: they showed up. A fundraiser raised more than $100,000 to support him and his family.

When I first met Matt in 2023, I walked away changed. There was no bitterness in him. No resentment. No “why me?”. There was only gratitude: for life, for family, for work worth doing, and for another day to live fully.

Matt’s life, though far too short, offers lessons worth carrying forward:

First, use what you have. Matt didn’t wait for ideal conditions. He took the tools, strength, and time he had and put them to work.

Second, choose a constructive mindset. Positivity wasn’t naïveté for Matt, it was a daily decision to build rather than withdraw.

Third, accept help with humility. Matt allowed others to support him, strengthening bonds rather than weakening them.

Fourth, stay connected to purpose. Running a small business, serving his community, raising a family, Matt stayed anchored to meaning.

Finally, live in a way that lifts others. Without ever trying to be an example, Matt became one.

One life, faithfully lived, even when cut short, can ripple outward in ways we may never fully understand. Matt’s life reminds us that the measure of our days is not their number, but their depth. And if we’re paying attention, his story just might help us live our own a little better.

Tony Thelen is an executive coach and founder of The River Coaching and Consulting based in West Okoboji, Iowa.  He has a new book called “Things We Desire” that is available on Amazon or any major book retailer, contact him for signed and personalized copies at [email protected] or check out his website at www.therivercoach.org