Matthew (Hazel) Szakmeister

Matthew John Szakmeister, passed away at the young age of 20 on August 22nd, 2024, in Glenwood, MD.  He is survived by his loving family: his parents John and Ann; his brother Andrew; his grandparents Robert and Ann Marie (deceased) Kaliszewski and John and Sheryl Szakmeister; and so many loving aunts and uncles and cousins.

Born 9 weeks early on August 17th, 2004, Matthew entered the world on his own terms, a child of quiet convictions and not one to fuss--traits he would carry with him for the rest of his life.  He had the best laugh, starting in his belly and then spreading to everyone around him.  He was kind, compassionate, thoughtful, and loving to the core.  He was constantly putting others before himself and always there for those that needed him.

Matthew was a sports enthusiast, with a strong love of baseball, passionate about playing, following, and coaching.  He was an avid collector of baseball cards and other sports memorabilia.  Matthew was also a devoted fan of NASCAR ever since he was little when he discovered "real cars with numbers" at Grandpa's house and saw Kyle Busch's M&M car.  He loved math and statistics, spending hours devouring baseball statistics that he was able to recall instantly.

Being an avid reader, Matthew would sometimes complete 1,200 page books in just a few days.  Among his favorites was the Stormlight Archives, a fantasy series by Brandon Sanderson, and he was looking forward to the release of the next book in the series.

Determined to help the world, Matthew eyed a career as a therapist and started studying Psychology at UMBC in 2023.  He wanted nothing more than to help others know that they were not alone in the world, and that there was a path to a better life.

Matthew had a strong sense of self too, discovering that he was transgender and identified as female, choosing to name herself Hazel, after her beautiful eyes.  While she was quiet about this side of herself, Hazel's last request was "I wish that in my death that my own sense of who I was can be respected.  I don't want my friends who knew me as Hazel and use she/her to feel like they can't use my name.  I'd love it if everyone did."

In her brief but impactful journey through life, Hazel touched many hearts with her gentle demeanor and courageous soul. Though her time with us was short, may the legacy of her kindness and the memories she created continue to inspire and live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.  We have set up a page in Hazel's name: https://supporting.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=3100023.  Please join us for the Howard County Walk on September 21st, as we will be there representing Hazel.  Or donate to the Trevor Project, https://www.thetrevorproject.org/, an organization dedicated specifically to suicide prevention in the LGBTQ+ community.