Matthew Cahill was 17 when he died in June 1998. He was about to become yearbook editor at Bayridge Secondary School. He worked as a swimming instructor and lifeguard at Artillery Park. He organized activities. He made people feel safe.

Matthew died from Necrotizing Fasciitis, commonly known as flesh-eating disease. The infection advanced with terrifying speed. Despite his strength and health, he could not overcome it. His death left a void at Bayridge and throughout Kingston.

Rather than let that void stand empty, his mother Diana established the Matt Cahill Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area. Nearly three decades later, the fund has grown to over $50,000. Each year, it supports graduating Bayridge Secondary School students pursuing higher education.

"I think the Community Foundation is a wonderful organization," Diana explains. "It reaches out on a lot of different levels, and the funds are very diverse. I wanted Matthew's legacy to be part of that."

"His memory can live on and help all those other kids’ further education. That's what keeps me contributing. Every month, I know that money is going to support students who have the same qualities Matthew had." - Diana Cahill, Matt's mother 

The criteria for the scholarship reflect Matthew's character. Recipients embody the same qualities that defined him: leadership, reliability, commitment to community, and the ability to inspire others. These are not academic measures alone. They are measures of character.

Matthew's impact on the community runs deep. The City of Kingston named the gymnasium at the Artillery Park Aquatic Centre in his honour, a lasting tribute to the young man who spent so many of his summers there coaching, teaching, and mentoring younger children.

In 2025, Diana expanded the scholarship to support two students at $500 each, recognizing that Matthew's influence could help multiple graduating students. The fund also directs additional resources to SPARK at the City of Kingston, supporting aquatic leadership programs and swimming lessons, honouring Matthew's passion for teaching young people in the water.

Diana contributes $100 monthly to sustain Matthew's legacy year after year.

"His memory can live on and help all those other kids go to university," Diana says. "That's what keeps me contributing. Every month, I know that money is going to support students who have the same qualities Matthew had. Leadership. Commitment. A real care for others."

Each June, two new graduating students at Bayridge walks across the stage to accept the scholarships that carries Matthew's name. Each summer, children head into the water through programs his fund supports, and the community benefits from the gymnasium that honours him. Matthew's time was brief, but his legacy is not.

Donate to the Matt Cahill Memorial Fund.