The Matzka Family Behind the Scenes

At Home

When you pull up to the Matzka house you are most likely going to find Reese and Owen playing in the driveway. Almost every time Rhino was there to film, they were out playing with chalk, hitting some golf balls or practicing their hockey shots. It's just one of the admirable things about this incredible family.

The day we filmed "The Morning with the Matzka's" was such a beautiful look into what goes on in their daily lives. One of the most precious part of this shoot was when the kids climbed into bed with Scott and snuggled before starting the day.

You could see and feel the normal that still remaines in this not so normal life they are now living.

The joy this family has was evident the day Scott received his power chair. He wanted to show off it's speed, so he and the kids raced up and down the street; the kids on their bikes and Scott in his chair. This beautiful family is such an inspiration to not only us, but everyone they meet, and this purpose of this film is share that with as many people as possible.

Scott & Hockey

In total we went to three hockey games with the Matzka family. All of them were in support of Scott and the My Turn campaign. The first one was in Cardiff. Wow! The stands were packed with fans of Scott and the Cardiff teammates he had played with during their record winning season. It was just about time for Scott and Catie to go out on the ice and give their speech and do the puck drop. As Catie wheeled Scott through the arena the crowd began the cheer. By the time he got down to the box the entire stadium was on their feet. The speech they gave that night could bring will bring you to tears. Capturing all this was no easy task, but there's no arguing that it was so worth every second of held back tears.

The support Catie and Scott have gotten from their hockey family has been unreal. It's clear that once you are in it you are in it forever. It's not just the players either. Scott was clearly a very talented player and had many fans. Those fans have stepped up and are continuing to support him and his family through this stage of his life. It's been amazing attending all these games and getting to know just a few of the people who have helped shape Scott.

Matzkas in Montana

Oh beautiful Montana. This trip will always hold a special place in our hearts. Scott and Catie's family, Jess, Laura, and David greeted us at the airport in their awesome custom t-shirt's saying My Turn in Big Sky. The first day was The Sun Road drive and man was it gorgeous. We drove for hours till we reached Logans Pass, the top of the mountains, where we stopped for lunch. From there we went to the fairy pools, followed by a helicopter ride the next day. It was awesome. The whole trip was just amazing and humbling. We were only there for two days filming, but this family knows how to make the very most out of every second!

Making Memories

One might think that having ALS would stop you from doing the things you love. While that might be true for some things, it hasn't stopped Scott from traveling and making amazing memory's with his family and friends. Since we have been working on this project, Scott has traveled to Cardiff, Wales, Florida, and Montana. He has been to countless hockey games, golf outings and other events in support of ALS. ALS may be stopping Scott from moving his body but, more so, it has encouraged him to move forward with life and make every day count.