Ellen DeGeneres has shared a tearful tribute to producer Matthew Wright as his family’s fundraiser passed its $50,000 goal.
Matthew, 52, died suddenly in Los Angeles on October 30, according to the GoFundMe set up after his death. His family has described his death as an “unfathomable tragedy.”
The 68-year-old presenter sent condolences to his husband, Justin, and the rest of his loved ones in her Instagram video.
His loved ones want to bring him back to New York, where his family lives, for a farewell.
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Ellen DeGeneres remembers Matthew Wright
Matthew worked on nearly 1,000 episodes of Ellen’s programme from 2006 until its finale in 2022.
Fellow producer Andy Lassner said he had seen Matthew just hours before his death. “He was a brilliant producer and an even better human being,” Andy said.
However, Ellen revealed their working relationship had not ended with the talk show. They had been developing another project together, which they expected to start soon.
In her emotional tribute, she remembered his humour, kindness and the unexpected things he did that made her laugh.
“He was an amazing guy,” Ellen said while crying.
She continued: “He was funny, he made me laugh, he would surprise me with things he did all the time. He was smart, he was kind. He was part of our show, I mean, everyone loved him. I loved him. It’s just shocking.”
She also spoke about how much he meant to the team behind the show.
“We’re going to miss him. He is and always will be the glue to our entire family at The Ellen Show,” Ellen continued.
The video then showed a collection of clips featuring Matthew on the programme.
Matthew Wright’s family seek help with funeral costs
The family’s appeal is intended to cover transport, a funeral and a memorial.
According to the fundraising page, Matthew and Justin had both been laid off during the summer. His loved ones said the unexpected costs were more than they could afford.
The appeal asked friends whose lives Matthew had touched to help his family bring him home.
By November 3, the page had received 380 donations and exceeded its initial target.
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