Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Minor.
Hi Todd, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Our son, Matthew Emmanuel Minor (Matt), for whom our foundation is named, was a very loving & compassionate child. He was a big hugger. Matthew had a very charismatic & loving personality and had a wonderful smile that would light up the room. Matthew was active in martial arts, football, and basketball. He cherished his time at our family gatherings, especially those at the family farm in Tappahannock, Virginia. Matthew mentioned several times that he wanted to serve his country by joining the military, as his father and grandfather had—a family tradition. Matt was considered an “ambassador” of Accokeek Academy, where he attended school. He showed the new kids where their classes were and defended them against anyone picking on them. Also, instinctively, Matt was active in his church, academy, and the local community. At the tender age of 12, he understood that you can show no greater love for someone than by protecting others.
On the evening of March 7th, our world was devastated and forever changed by our oldest son, TJ, pleading with us to come upstairs and that something terrible had happened to Matthew. Although my wife Mia was starting new treatments for multiple sclerosis, and I was recovering from a recent surgery to remove cancer that subsequently resulted in a leg injury, rendering me unable to walk, the adrenaline kicked in, and I was immediately running upstairs without my walker to check on Matt.
My military training kicked in, and I started assessing the situation. Matt had something tied around his neck. Why was that there? Find out later, I told myself. I removed the cord, and I began CPR. Mia called 911. While doing this, we asked the almighty why this was happening and to take us instead; he was only 12. I continued to perform CPR until the EMTs showed up. Around 2:30 am at the hospital, the doctor came in and notified us that Matthew had died. It was unbelievable and shocking; we had just eaten dinner.
While speaking with the police detective, we discovered the choking challenge, or the “blackout” challenge, that kids were participating in on YouTube, TikTok, and other social media platforms.
This fact was also supported by conversations with children who confirmed that Matt was participating in the choking challenge at his tribute service the day before his funeral. What are these social media challenges? We asked ourselves, what can we do about it?
With the support of our Pastors at Victory Church, our family, and fellow parents and community, we created the Matthew E. Minor Awareness Foundation March 2019, just after mMatthew’s death to bring awareness about the hidden dangers of the internet to our children and teens, such as online cyberbullying, self-harm, cyberdares, i.e. (Knock-out challenges/ Blackout Challenge) and helping families cope with grief after losing a loved one. We have also established a college scholarship fund for local college-bound students in the D.C., MD, and V.A. areas to further their future educational goals. We aspire to make this a national scholarship in due time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road we are on is tough; losing your child is extremely tough, and I would not wish this on anybody. One major challenge is to keep going with strategy team meetings, calling, emailing, public speaking, and writing OptEd articles; pushing for change in your community and country while you are constantly in tremendous pain at the loss of your son, and having a lot of sleepless nights. The pain never leaves you. I constantly see the scenes of trying to revive my son, performing CPR, the hospital, screaming, and pleading with God; I see those moments every day.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the hidden dangers of the internet for children and teens. These dangers include cyberbullying, self-harm, cyber dares (such as the Knockout Challenge, Blackout Challenge, fentanyl poisoning, and body shaming), as well as supporting families coping with grief after losing a loved one.
At the Matthew E. Minor Awareness Foundation, we don’t just advocate for our cause; we actively live by it. Our proactive approach ensures our mission to protect children online remains in action.
We also have a monthly podcast titled “Resiliency Podcast” and have established a nationwide memorial scholarship for college-bound students to help them achieve their educational goals. My wife Mia and I are available for speaking engagements
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Our family is both a farming and a military family, with deep traditions of faithful service to our country and our local community. When we heard from Matthew’s classmates at his memorial service that the algorithms on social media platforms were relentlessly sending harmful content, and they could not stop it, we thought of Matthew always looking out for his friends at school as well as others in the community, and knew right away we had to do something to keep our youth and families safe. Even in the depths of our pain, our duty to our community and country shone bright like a powerful beacon, leading us, no, it is compelling us, forward even in our grief.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.matthewminorfoundation.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MEMAFINC/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MatthewE.MinorAwarenessFdn/streams
- Other: https://www.givelify.com/donate/matthew-e-minor-awareness-foundation-incorporated-accokeek-md-2j7wy5MTUxNzk3MA==/donation/amount
