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| “ | Everything in my life, I've done for a reason. [...] To help people, to... to guide them, to ease their suffering, even though I suffered myself. I sacrificed my happiness... I let my family abandon me. [...] For you!!! ("It's a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt World") | ” |
Matt Jamison was a devout, congenial, and resilient Episcopal priest, and the brother of Nora Durst. After the Sudden Departure, he spent several years trying to come to terms with his faith through various means, including publishing a tabloid meant to keep others from deifying the departed, preaching the supposed wonders of Miracle National Park, and even wrote scripture about Nora's boyfriend, Kevin Garvey, after he seemingly died and returned from the dead twice.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Born circa 1969, Matt was raised by an Episcopal priest at his family church. His sister Nora was born when he was ten years old and, jealous of the attention she received from relatives, Matt prayed to take it back from her. He did indeed get the attention back, but only when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which nearly killed him. He overcame it, praying much while he recovered, and it helped change him into a pious and dedicated individual.
In 1986, a massive fire consumed the Jamison home, killing both of Nora and Matt's parents and leaving them alone. After this event, they were given the family church which Matt took over and he became the new priest.
He married his wife Mary and lived a fulfilled life until the day of the Departure.
After the Sudden Departure[]
Matt and his wife were traveling in a car during the events of October 14th. Moments after the mass disappearance they were hit by a car after the driver vanished. Stunned Matt quickly got out of the car to witness the chaos and panic which quickly spread through Mapleton and the rest of the world. He suddenly drew attention back to his wife Mary who was still in the car unconscious. She became paralyzed in the crash and Matt looked after her ever since.
Matt created a controversial tabloid piece exposing the departed of their wrongdoings. This brought him into conflict with several of the towns people including his sister Nora. One day while giving a sermon Matt was attacked by a man who stuffed one of these fliers into his mouth. Matt was taken to the hospital where Kevin Garvey tried to talk him out of the fliers and invited him to dinner which Matt refused. After being released Matt received a voicemail from the bank asking to speak with him.
Matt performed a baptism for a former church member Greg McNary. In lieu of payment Greg gave Matt the name of a guy who worked with him that gambled away his kids college account and disappeared on the 14th, Andrew Sasaki. Matt goes to the casino in search for more information. While there Matt sees birds on a roulette table. After returning to the church, Matt types up a flyer for Sasaki but finds he is out of ink for the printer. While in the car Matt gets another call from the bank, which he accidentally picks up. Jim tells Matt they need to meet in person.
At the bank, Jim Lewis reveals there has been an offer on the bank from a corporate llc who he will have to sell to if Matt cannot come up with the money. Jim tells Matt if he can come up with even a dollar over the buying price by the end of the next day, 135,000 he can get Matt's name back on the deed. Matt visits Nora and asks her for the money as a loan. Nora asks Matt to stop making his paper and she'll give him the money. Matt refuses and reveals that Doug was having an affair with her kids preschool teacher.
Matt returns home and attempts to sleep while staring at a painting of Job. Matt goes to Kevin Garvey's house and retrieves 20,000 dollars his father hid for him. Matt takes the money to the casino, on the way noticing birds on top of a blinking red light. At the casino, Matt takes his money to the table the birds stood on earlier in the day. Matt bets on red until he makes 160,000. Matt goes back to his car with the money where he is almost robbed by a man who watched him win the money. Matt reburies the 20,000 dollars he retrieved from Kevin's house. On his way back to his home Matt notices two guilty remnant members getting attacked by a rock and gets down to help. The assailants return and hit Matt as well causing him to black out.
Matt goes through a series of dreams and flashbacks before waking up in a hospital. Matt quickly leaves the hospital and retrieves his money in order to get to the bank for his deadline of the end of the day. Matt gives Jim the money but Jim tells him its too late and Matt was in the hospital for 3 days not overnight.
Matt walks outside where he sees his church now being painted white after the Guilty Remnant bought the church.
After the baby Jesus from the town's nativity is stolen, Matt replaces it with a spare one he had.
When Glady's a member of the Guilty Remnant is stoned to death, Matt is one of the suspects. Kevin questions Matt but he assures him he is not the perpetrator. Matt asks to pray for Gladys but the body has since gone missing from Mapleton. Later that night Matt arrives outside the Guilty Remnant's house with a microphone. Matt invites the members to come out and join in saying a goodbye prayer for Gladys. Laurie comes outside and blows her whistle at him.
Some time later, Kevin Sr. escaped custody and sought Matt's help. Matt drove Kevin Sr to a meeting with his son.
After the suicide of Patty, Kevin called for Matt's help in Cairo. Matt helps Kevin bury Patty's body and gives Kevin a bible passage to read. On the way back to Mapleton, Matt stops at a restaurant for a meal where Kevin reveals to Matt his wish to be back with his family again after losing them.
Matt and Kevin return to Mapleton where they find the town in chaos after the Guilty Remnant executed their plan to make the town remember they departed.
Jarden[]
While doing Missionary work , Matthew met a priest from Jarden Texas, Reverend Massey. Massey offered to allow Matthew to visit the town. Matthew took him up on the offer, initially planning to stay for a week but ended up staying for over 3 months. The first night they arrived, Mary woke up from her state and made the two made love. The next day Mary had returned to her state again. Over the course of the next few months, Matthew would repeat the circumstances of the day she woke up in an attempt to recreate the situation to no avail.
One day Matthew took Mary to the hospital to get tested for any improvements in her condition. The testing revealed that Mary was pregnant despite the fact the two had been trying for 10 years and couldn't have children before. Despite the 90% miscarriage chances, Matt remains optimistic that the power of miracle would keep them safe. On the way back to Jarden from the doctor's office, Matt stopped to help a car stranded in the road. Once the man heard Matt was from Jarden, he attacked him and stole his and Mary's wristbands and disabled the car. Stuck without transportation, Matt was forced to push Mary back to Jarden for miles on a wheelchair.
After returning to Jarden, John offers to allow Matt and Mary back into town if Matt admits that Mary did not wake up from her coma but Matt made love because he was sad. Matt agrees but asks John what happened to him, causing John to deny his entrance to Jarden. Outside of town again, Matt seeks the help of a man named Elmer who offered to let him in earlier. Elmer offers to show him a way in for 1,000 dollars but Matt only has 400. Desperate, Matt seeks the help of a religious woman. After verifying his identity as a man of god, The woman offers him 500 dollars to hit a man named Reggie with a paddle while saying Brian. After several attempts, Matt succeeds in the task and is payed the money. Elmer shows Matt a way in through a tunnel. Matt attempts to go through it but the rain floods him out causing him to lose Mary's wheelchair.
After returning to the encampment outside of Jarden, Nora find Matt and helps get him and Mary back into town through the trunk of her car. In Jarden, Matt sees the man who robbed his wristbands earlier had crashed his car and died. Matt returns Mary's wristband to her and decides to leave back to the camp outside of Jarden. Matt gives the son of the dead man to John for care. In the camp, Matthew takes the place of a man made to repent by the other residents.
Sometime later, Matt saw Meg in the camp. Meg lied and told Matt she had left the Guilty Remnant. Meg tells Matt of her plan. The next day an awakened Mary is brought by Nora to Matt in the camp. Matt is overjoyed to see Mary awake, seemingly permanently now, and informs her of her pregnancy. Matt sees this as proof of the power of Miracle. When the Guilty Remnant storm the gates of Jarden and enter the town, Matt and Mary go with them. Matt is last seen with Mary at the Garvey home in Jarden with Nora, Tom, Lily, Laurie and Jill.
Trivia[]
- In the original novel, Matt is painted as a much less likable character and has a much smaller role. He only appears in a few scenes and is merely a friend and confidant of Nora as opposed to her brother.