About 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, Matthew Tyler Jacob Carlile, junior, was struck by an SUV near the intersection of Manchester and Old Ballwin Roads. He was then transported to a local hospital with critical injuries and died later that night.

Matthew, born March 12, 1999, was in JROTC at MHS.

SMSgt Dr. Gary Wamble, USAF Aerospace Science Instructor, characterized him as one of the kindest, most welcoming students in the program.

“He could be having a bad day and he would come in and would make everybody feel like he was having a great day,” Dr. Wamble said. “I was talking to the kids at our round table and I said ‘twenty years from now, you’re going to be thumbing through your yearbook and you’ll come across Matt’s picture. You’re gonna remember him your whole life because of the impact he had on you while in this program whether it was just one semester, two years or three years.'”

Dr. Wamble said while Matthew was never one of the ROTC program’s Flight Leaders or Commanders, he always made himself present.

“He’d be the first one on Thursdays to go around and help kids with uniforms discrepancies and stuff like that,” Dr. Wamble said. “He was an all around great kid who did stuff for not just the ROTC program but the whole school.”

Friends of Carlile said he was interested in football, skateboarding and music and that he was always goofy and cheering people up.

Condolences are extended to the family and friends of Matthew and his brother, Andrew Carlile, sophomore.

Dr. Dan Ramsey, junior level principal, said Matthew’s character stood out among his peers.

“He was a really nice kid,” Dr. Ramsey said. “He owned the situations he found himself in. He was just a kid you couldn’t help but like.”

Students and staff may pay their respects to Carlile and his family 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, at the Family Center at Schrader Funeral Home, 14960 Manchester Rd, Ballwin, Mo., 63011.

In an email to the MHS community, Principal Dr. Greg Mathison wrote, “We are prepared to provide any support needed in the coming days as we take care of our students and ourselves. Counseling services will be available for anyone who may need them.”