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The move comes brutal murder in Laramie, Wyo. His death became an important symbol in the fight against homophobia.
Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images
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Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images
The move comes brutal murder in Laramie, Wyo. His death became an important symbol in the fight against homophobia.
Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images
The remains of Matthew Shepard, whose death became an important symbol in the fight against homophobia – and whose name is on a key U.S. hate-crime law – will be interred at Washington National Cathedral later this month.
Shepard's parents say they're "proud and relieved to have a final resting place for Matthew's ashes."
"This is incredibly meaningful for our family," Judy and Dennis Shepard said in a statement emailed to NPR. "We'd been looking for the right place to finally put Matt to rest, and we think this is the perfect fit and the perfect time."
News of Shepard's Interment comes 20 years after he was tied up, savagely attacked and left for dead in October 1998. At the time, he was a 21-year-old college student in Laramie, Wyo. His brutal murder attracted intense media coverage at the time and galvanized support for LGBTQ Americans.
His death has cast a long shadow over the two decades that follow – not only in the newspaper headlines, but on stage and screen, too. The Laramie Project, a play focused on his killing, has gone on to become one of the most-produced plays in the U.S.
The case also has a major impact on Capitol Hill, where the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was passed under President Obama in 2009. Byrd, who was joined in the bill, was an African-American man who Jasper, Texas, USA. Shepherd and was dragged behind a pickup truck in Jasper, Texas.
A cross made of stones, seen in 1999, at the fence where Shepard was beaten and left for one year earlier.
Ed Andrieski / AP
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Ed Andrieski / AP
A cross made of stones, seen in 1999, at the fence where Shepard was beaten and left for one year earlier.
Ed Andrieski / AP
The Washington National Cathedral says it is "honored and humbled to receive the earthly remains of Matthew Shepard and entrust them to God."
"While Matthew died too young," the cathedral said, "his death is alive to a new generation of activists and allies who are committed to proclaiming God's love for all of God's children – no exceptions or exclusions."
His parents say they hope his place in the world will become a place where people can visit and "reflect on creating a safer, kinder world."
The Washington National Cathedral, which has served as the venue for the United States and other influential Americans, will honor Shepard on Oct. 26 in Eastern Townships. Shepard's ashes will be in the cathedral crypt, in a private ceremony.
For the Shepards, the decision to entrust their lives to the cathedral ends decades of uncertainty. It was a complicated process, they said, citing their personal wishes and their role in the fight for gay rights.
In a statement shared by the foundation that bears their son's name, the Shepards said:
"When we were living overseas, we had a living stand at the time, we were not wanting to leave our home. We did not want to leave him in a place of pilgrimage We may not have a nuisance to other families in a cemetery We did not want to open the option for vandalism on the urn until we figured out the proper thing to do.
"We're comforted to know who will be so much for our country."
Judy and Dennis Shepard concludes their two-decade-old reconciliation. And in a nod to the upcoming midterm elections, they added, "Vote for Matt in November."
Here's how Judy Shepard remembered her in a 2010 interview with NPR:
"Well, he was a 21-year-old student college student who, like most college students, was a student of the past. He had a smile, like all mothers say, that would be a great place to be, a great sense of humor, a very empathetic and kind, really cared about humanity.
Shepard will join some 200 people whose remains have been interred in the cathedral over the past 100 years. Others include President Anne Sullivan, Anne Sullivan, and Adm. George Dewey.
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