A song for Matt Deery was written four years after he died in a crash.
Four years after Matt Deery was killed in a car crash, Dean Berrigan wrote a song about his friend.
Matt Deery It was put to music by Nashville musician Nick Smith. And now those who knew Deery -- a popular athlete who graduated from Phillipsburg High School -- will be adding their own stamp in a music video.
Anyone who knew Deery can join for a group photo to be used in the video at 1:45 p.m. Saturday at the Greenwich Cemetery, 15 Greenwich Church Road. Those who wish to attend are asked to leave a message on the event's Facebook page.
"I wanted those closest to Matt to really be able to relate to this song and I thought that the best way to do that was by putting them into a music video," Berrigan said in an email to lehighvalleylive.com, adding that he so far expects between 25 and 35 people on Saturday.
"The goal," he said, "is to tribute an incredible person and give those closest to Matt something of him to hold onto."
The 19-year-old Deery died in a head-on crash in Upper Nazareth Township in 2012, a year after graduating from Phillipsburg.
Deery was attending Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn., on a track scholarship. He was a two-sport athlete at Phillipsburg -- a wide receiver and cornerback on the football team, and a hurdler and pole vaulter on the track and field team. He was All-Area first-team selection by The Express-Times in both sports his senior year.
A Facebook group and GoFundMe page have been set up to support the music video. It started with an initial goal of $600, but had surpassed $1,000 as of Friday morning.
"I truly hope to commemorate our dear friend and would love and appreciate any support," Berrigan said on the GoFundMe page. "When someone passes away, the loved ones left behind desperately need something to hold onto, I hope this song and video can serve as that special something."
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.