Be kind, be strong, be funny when you can: 17-year-old reminds us joy is worth more than points

When John Curley’s kids were first born, he decided the family needed a motto to send their kids out into the world with. They came up with “Be kind, be strong, be funny when you can.” Each Monday, John Curley shares a story from the week of a person or event that he feels demonstrates that motto.

Be kind, be strong, be funny when you can: Meet Matisse Thybulle…

If you were to Google the name Matisse Thybulle, only one name comes up because it’s such an unusual name. What you’ll find is a basketball player who is ranked 338th in the country and sixth in the state. This kid is absolutely unbelievable.

There’s a behind-the-back pass on YouTube that you have to watch at least 10 times. He can stand under the basket, take one step, and dunk the ball. He is 6’5 and a senior at Eastside Catholic.

Eastside Catholic is 18-3 this season. But on Tuesday night, star player Matisse Thybulle had the hardest game of his life. They were playing Nathan Hale, and no one believed for one minute that Thybulle would have any trouble taking apart any of those guys on that team, but there was something else.

On Friday evening, Thybulle’s mom went into the hospital. They thought Elizabeth Thybulle had beaten cancer, but they gave her a shot of chemo, it reduced her immune system, and she got an infection. It turned into a fever.

On Saturday, Elizabeth told her husband, Greg, that if her fever was not lower by Tuesday, he would have to kidnap her from the hospital because she wanted to be there for Matisse’s final game.

It was parent’s night at the Tuesday game. Parents of the Eastside Catholic seniors come out to center court, they give them a bouquet of roses, and escort them back to the stands to cheer on their kids. But Elizabeth Thybulle wasn’t there.

She died early Monday morning, but Matisse still played in that game on Tuesday. It was the hardest game of his life. Can you imagine being a 17-year-old, your parent has died 24 hours before, and you’re out there playing on parent’s night?

I asked him, ‘Did you want to score a tremendous amount of points?’ He said, ‘No. What I wanted to do was play with great joy and happiness because that is how my mom expected me to play.’ He said, ‘She never cared if I dunked the ball. She never cared whether I made the three. All she wanted to do was to see me smile.’

He scored 17 points. I remember him making a one-handed alley-oop in the game and the smile on his face was definitely there for his mom. That is a kid who is playing and being kind and funny and strong when he can be. My heart breaks for that family, but what an amazing individual. Matisse Thybulle. Remember that name, he’s going far.

Watch highlights from Thybulle’s game Tuesday night:

Taken from The Tom & Curley Show on KIRO Radio.

JS