During an hour-long interview over coffee at Einsteins, I had the pleasure of getting to know fellow senior, Matt Peabody. An athlete and active contributor to campus activity, Peabody values giving back to the community, and being a good friend. Though the initial focus was on his involvement with this year’s Relay for Life as emcee for the Mr. Brandeis pageant, the interview developed to shed light on what keeps Brandeis University’s Men’s Soccer Team so close together. Peabody opened up with ease during the interview, stating, “If you don’t open to anybody, you’re never gonna actually get to know anyone.”
Hometown: Maine
Major/minor: Philosophy major/Econ minor
Tell us a bit about how you are involved with the community.
In high school, I did Big Bro/Big Sis. At first I started the program to get the necessary credits to graduate, but after I completed the requirement, I decided to keep with it. On campus I’m on the Men’s Soccer Team, and SAAC (the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee). A while back, my teammate Joe Eisenbies found out about this program where we can volunteer to play soccer with mentally and physically handicapped kids once a week. So every spring, the team goes to Lexington to bond with these kids. I’m also an emcee for the Mr. Brandeis pageant at Relay for Life this year, along with one of my best friends and member of the Women’s Basketball Team, Kasey Dean (Kase-Dog).
Which would you say has made the greatest impact on your college experience?
The soccer team. This is the first time I’ve ever been in an organization where I feel this close to everyone. I honest consider every single person on the team as family. We all feel that way. The team’s been through a lot, but it’s only made us closer and stronger.
Can you describe some of the things the team has gone through?
One of my teammates, Ed Senibaldi, was diagnosed with cancer my freshman year. He made a comeback about a year later. Two summers ago, another teammate, Jordan Zides, fell into a coma as a result of a car accident. Doctors said he had a 5% chance of living, but he got out of it. He had to reteach himself how to use his limbs. He came back to school this fall, and though he can’t play in games, he still comes to every practice and even does the lifts with us. And last summer, I got three brain surgeries done in two weeks.
Three in two weeks?! How did this happen?
I hit my head during the summer had to get surgery the same day because I had epidural hematoma. Then my brain started to swell and I started to act super sarcastic and had a short temper, which isn’t my personality at all, so doctors knew something was off. I had to get another two surgeries, one to remove part of my skull to allow room for the swelling, and another to put the piece back after the swelling went down. I basically have no memory of the next two weeks, but one of the first memories I have is waking up and looking around. The room was filled with photos, and gifts.
Did you keep these gifts?
Yeah, I did. I think I got like 15 hats… a raccoon, a moose, a Yamaka (I’m not even Jewish!). Another funny gift I got was from Bridget and her mom. They put together a gift basket and included the game Cranium. I also remember four moms from my childhood soccer team came to visit me. One of them works in Boston, and the other three drove down together from Maine.
You’ve got some really fantastic friends. What are you looking forward to with this year’s Relay?
The atmosphere. It’s amazing. I remember my freshman year, when my teammate Eddie Sinibaldi was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, the team participated in Relay for him. The 20 of us stayed the entire night until 4 A.M., singing karaoke with Eddie. I remember going back to my dorm and seeing the sun, thinking, ‘I didn’t realize it was this late.'”
How did this experience affect the dynamic of your team?
It brought the team closer together, and made us more motivated on and off the field. We just kept saying, “We’re not giving up. Eddie got cancer, and he didn’t give up.”
Note:
**Eddie Sinibaldi made a return his junior and senior year to play.**
When did you first get involved with Relay for Life?
Probably around when I was 8 years old.
Wow, that’s quite some dedication. What keeps you coming back each year?
It’s a great cause, with a big atmosphere. Everyone’s happy and involved, giving back to the people. Cancer is so common, so pretty much everyone’s had someone affected in their life. I have had people affected by cancer in my life, and this is my way of giving back and remembering them– a tribute.
It’s wonderful that you are committed to keeping their memories alive. Would you mind telling us about these individuals who were affected?
One of my great aunts passed about four years ago. My best friend’s mom passed away the day after Christmas of my sophomore year. She had been battling cancer for four years. It went away for a while but came back. She was like a second mom to me. These experiences make me want to raise more money that can help find a cure.
Looking forward, what else would you like to accomplish?
I would love to travel. I have only been outside of the country once, when I went on a trip to Iceland, England and Scotland. The top five places I’d love to visit are India, Brazil, the Netherlands, Madagascar, and Maldives. I would stay in each location for at least two weeks, to really get a sense of what it might be like to live there.
What would you like your legacy to be?
I want to be remembered as being a good friend. I want people to remember me in the same light that I see all my friends who kept visiting me while I was in the hospital.
Can you share a story from this time period with us?
After the surgeries, Kasey, my team, soccer coaches, and a lot of other people came to visit at the hospital. Their support really motivated me to get better faster in rehab. When I got tired, I would just remind myself that these people are rooting for me to make a fast recovery. Kasey, Kelly, Joe, and Dan Lee put together a soccer tournament to raise money to help my parents pay my medical bills. They called it, “Play for Peabs.” Local restaurants donated food, and players paid $20 to play. There were about 14-16 teams on the turf. One of the teams was made up of soccer team alumni. Lee Russo and his dad put together a team, and even my physical therapist at rehab put together a team. One of the freshman on the team now, Tucker Bixby also participated. It was before pre-season at the time, so it was my first time meeting him (and he’s got a special place in my heart).
Wow.. that’s a really heart-warming story. Do you remember who won the tournament?
Actually, my current roommates Joe, Sam, and Dylan did! The trophy is standing above the TV in our Mod.
You’re clearly no stranger to competition. As emcee for Mr. Brandeis, you also have a say in who wins. What is Mr. Brandeis, and what are you looking for in this year’s winner?
Mr. Brandeis is basically a beauty pageant– for men. Men are nominated, and go through a screening process to narrow down the pool to the final contestants. I think we received like 140 nominations this year. All the money raised goes straight to Relay for Life. The show includes talent, swimsuit, formalwear, and choreography segments. I see the winner as someone who is confident on stage, with a well-done talent that’s impressive and unexpected. I remember hearing from a friend about a guy who brought on two other guys to do the Single Ladies dance. Something like that could work.
Any final words for our readers?
Everyone should sign up for Relay if you haven’t already. It’s a lot of fun, and for a great cause!