JERICHO, N.Y. -- The Jericho High School officially dedicated their Varsity Swimming pool in memory of the late1st Lt. Matthew D. Lynch Park, at a memorial service held there Dec. 23, 2005.
Lynch, a 25-year-old a native of Jericho, N.Y. and Jericho H.S. graduate, was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. and was kill Oct. 31, 2004 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.
The board above the Jericho High School pool reads, “1st Lt. Matthew Lynch USMC Memorial Pool,” in honor of the Marine who broke eight individual records as a varsity swimmer there before graduating in 1997. Lynch went on to graduate from Duke University and eventually joined the Marine Corps as a commissioned officer.
Those who knew him say he was a great athlete and a great person who took pride in helping others.
“Standing up for others is something Matt did well,” said Ed Klobis, business/physical education teacher at Jericho High School. “I was not surprised when I discovered that he enlisted in [Officer Candidates School] after graduating from Duke. He had a higher purpose in this world, one of duty and honor.”
Lynch was also inducted into the Jericho H.S. Hall of fame at the ceremony. His parents Bill and Angela Lynch accepted his award on his behalf. Afterwards, Bill Lynch addressed the students and faculty in attendance.
“Matt would sit at the dinner table the night before a swim meet and he would name a record and say to me, ‘Tomorrow that one goes down,” said Bill Lynch to the swimmers present. “And, the next day it would.”
Bill Lynch urged the Jericho swimmers, who were set to compete against Wantagh High School in a swim meet that afternoon to set similar goals for themselves.
“Maybe one day you’ll even break one of his records on that board,” said Lynch’s father. “If you do, I’m sure you’ll hear Matt up there in those stands cheering for you.”
Though one day the record his records may be broken, 1st Lt. Matthew Lynch’s name will always remain above the pool, reminding Jericho swimmers to strive for greatness.