Hilton Head cyclist was known for his ‘big heart.’ It’s no wonder he donated his | Hilton Head Island Packet

The heart of a Hilton Head bicyclist who died Saturday after he was struck by a vehicle is beating now in the chest of a stranger.

But according to his longtime friend Kristen Borisuk, that’s exactly what Matthew Wicker would have wanted.

“He lived to serve other people, and, in his death, he has been able to do that to an extent that other people couldn’t imagine,” Borisuk said Wednesday.

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Wicker, 45, died after he was struck around 1:45 p.m. Sept. 21 while riding on Mathews Drive on Hilton Head. According to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, he sustained a “serious head injury” and was flown to Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah.

Two days later, he was pronounced brain dead, Borisuk said. His heart, lungs, liver and kidneys were harvested, the heart sent to someone in need right away.

“He was amazing,” Borisuk said. “He had the biggest heart and was such an amazing person.”

Originally from Indiana, Wicker lived on the island for approximately 40 years and was always surrounded by friends, Borisuk said. He is survived by his mother and older brother.

Many on Hilton Head knew Wicker, who was involved in a little bit of everything, Borisuk said.

“He was an artist,” Borisuk said. “He also did anything outside and worked with landscaping companies, he worked on boats and worked in the food and beverage industry. He was also an animal rights advocate.”

Borisuk delivered Wicker’s eulogy Monday during his memorial service at Shelter Cove, one of his favorite spots on the island.

“Matt’s purpose on this earth has been revealed and is currently being achieved,” Borisuk said in front of Wicker’s friends and family. “The most common phrases used to describe Matt were a ‘warm and caring heart,’ a ‘giving heart,’ a ‘kind heart,’ and ‘a heart of gold.’ Clearly, Matt’s best feature was his heart, and now Matt’s heart will live on in another person.”

Wicker’s paintings lined the marina fence behind her as she spoke.

During the eulogy, she said that three men who happened to be in the area after the crash had the military and medical training to know that Wicker needed to be rolled over in order to breathe.

That action allowed Wicker to stay alive and his organs to still be viable.

“Had they not moved (Wicker), he would have died immediately,” Borisuk said. “They were heroes that day.”

It wasn’t until later that all three men, who Borisuk declined to name out of concerns for their privacy, realized they knew Wicker but had simply not recognized him at the scene.

Borisuk also read from a Bible Wicker had given her. He was known for giving away Bibles that he’d annotated with handwritten notes and artwork.

On one page, Wicker wrote, “Thank you, God, for all my hardships. Guide me to serve you and guide me to serve my fellow man.”

That’s exactly what he did, his friends say.

Physicians also harvested Wicker’s bone marrow, skin and corneas, Borisuk said.

In the coming months, Borisuk and Wicker’s mother, Jane Walsh, hope to meet the person who received his heart once they get the news the transplant was successful.

During the eulogy, Borisuk encouraged everyone to follow Wicker’s lead, to become an organ donor. She took her own advice and became one a day later.

“I believe the best way that we can honor Matt is to show love and kindness to each other every day,” she said. “God has already orchestrated a plan that let’s us know that Matt’s death was not a senseless tragedy.”

This story was originally published September 27, 2017 3:54 PM.