Matthew Peyser passed away from substance use disorder in July 2017. His parents, Mark and Kady Peyser, keep his memory alive through this annual event that gives back to the Jamie Daniels Foundation.

By Stacey Winconek

On July 8, 2017, Matthew Peyser died just two months shy of his 26th birthday. The Grosse Pointe Woods native passed away from substance use disorder (SUD), which mom Kady Peyser says started during Matthew’s college years at Michigan State University, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity (PIKE) and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance from the Eli Broad College in 2014.

Matthew wasn’t alone in his struggle with SUD. In fact, according to the 2023 United States National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 48.5 million Americans (aged 12 and older) battled a substance use disorder in the past year. And, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2022, 107,941 drug overdose deaths occurred.

“It was bigger than what he could handle,” Kady says of Matthew’s struggle. “He was very open to us about it, but he was ashamed, and that’s the stigma of addiction. He didn’t want people to know. He ended up going to rehab in Florida and got out and got a job down there,” working at Mednax for a year and a half before his passing.

When Matthew died, his parents turned tragedy into a way to give back to the community by establishing an annual post-Thanksgiving tradition: Matty’s FriendsGiving.

“It was born with the spirit to keep his memory alive and create a legacy in his honor,” says Matthew’s dad, Mark Peyser.

Here, the Peysers discuss their son’s life and how they honor him through the annual post-Thanksgiving tradition that benefits the Jamie Daniels Foundation.

A giving spirit

As the youngest of two, Matthew joined his brother, Hank, in the Peyser household on Sept. 6, 1991.

“Matt was a very energetic, outgoing, social young man. Even as a boy, he was filled with energy,” Kady says. He played hockey from age 4-17 (and Mark coached his team) and swam from age 6-17. “He was very competitive, very athletic,” Kady says. He was a goofball, too, striving to make those around him laugh — and he succeeded in doing just that.

Beyond his dynamic personality, talent, and good looks, Matthew had a giving spirit.

“If he only had $10 in his pocket and you needed it, he would give it to you,” Matthew’s dad Mark says. “From a very early age, he had that trait in him.”

During the fall of Matthew’s senior year at Grosse Pointe North High School, his mom secured an interview downtown for admission to Michigan State University. After being accepted on the spot, Matthew and Kady were driving home when he asked his mom for $20. She questioned why he wanted it and soon realized he planned to give it to a homeless person he saw on the street.

“He was about as genuine as you could be, and he was always concerned about the welfare of others, and he wanted to make you laugh. He wanted to make sure you were happy,” Mark says. “He wasn’t self-centered. He was really concerned about you whether you were a friend of his or he was getting to know you.”

Matty’s FriendsGiving

In 2017, just months after his death, the first Matty’s FriendsGiving took place. In that first year, the Peysers raised more than $30,000 for the Covenant House, but before the 2018 event, Kady learned about the Jamie Daniels Foundation — and their son Hank said it was a good idea to get involved with a charity that aligned with what happened to Matthew. The rest is history.

Since 2018, they have raised over $185,000 for the Jamie Daniels Foundation, and the couple hopes to take the total to $200,000 this year. Mark’s law firm, Howard & Howard, has what is known as a community reinvestment fund. With that, each lawyer donates 1% of their annual income into this fund, which is then used to support local charities in the areas where they have offices. “My law firm has donated a lot of the money over the years to Jamie Daniels Foundation,” Mark says.  

This annual day-after-Thanksgiving event takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29 at Fishbones, located at 23722 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores

Tickets are not required, Mark says, and admission is free. An appetizer spread is free of charge, but there is a cash bar and ways to donate through a raffle and silent auction. Some of this year’s auction items include a Superbowl party catered by Detroit’s Chef Bobby, Premier Detroit Pistons & Tigers games with parking and club lounge access, Iron Aesthetics artwork with team logos — Detroit Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, a case of fine wine and restaurant gift cards for Fishbones, Bucci, Gilbert’s Lodge, and more.

Through the event, Mark says, people also learn about the Jamie Daniels Foundation and its mission. Co-founders Ken Daniels and Lisa Daniels-Goldman aim to attend the event each year.

“I think it’s a great foundation and they do great work. We are very honored that they’ve allowed us to support them,” Mark says.

The families belong to the club that no parent wants to join — that of losing a child, but the generosity of the Peyser family is extremely meaningful to Ken Daniels and Lisa Daniels-Goldman.

“We are so thankful for the support from Mark and Kady and appreciate their willingness to share their son’s story to help benefit others,” Ken Daniels says.

Matty’s FriendsGiving also provides the Peysers an opportunity to hear stories about their son, see old friends, and more.

“We as parents thoroughly enjoy the event, and over the years, we will always hear a new story about him, which is usually pretty hilarious,” Mark says. “That means so much to us because that’s part of what we are doing, keeping his memory and legacy alive.”

For more information on Matty’s FriendsGiving, visit the Matty’s FriendsGiving Facebook page.