Event tonight will benefit family of Clear Lake man

Matt Coles

Tonight, the friends and family of Matthew Coles will hold a benefit to celebrate his life and raise funds to provide assistance to his wife, Lucy, and three sons.

Coles attended Texas A&M University, where he met Lucy. He then began pursuing a Ph.L. in Philosophy at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in June 2006 at age 23.

In 2008, the Coles returned to Houston to be with family while Matt received treatment. During this time, the couple served as directors of the high school youth ministry for St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church and had three sons, John-Matthew, age 3; Pio, 19 months; and Andrew Damien, who was born on Thanksgiving Day this year.

Matt Coles died a little more than a week after Andrew's birth, on Dec. 5, at age 27.

The benefit will be held at Mario's Restaurant, 618 W. NASA Parkway. in Webster, at 6:30 p.m.