Matt Tarro - MY STORY

I think, I was born at just the right time, the morning of August 31st, 1986.

The 1990's - quite the time to grow up and I observed the groundwork for new social and economic norms - all amidst the internet boom.

Emerging technology has been in my blood as my father would introduce me to one of his dearest passions at a young age, photography. It's funny how ever-developing technology now manages my blood glucose levels everyday! I've been using that photography passion to tell my stories.  While he never understood what I did professionally, he did understand my gift. Our gift, is Art.

Know what's not in my blood? Insulin-producing beta cells in my pancreas.

Making me - a Type 1 Diabetic.

In-fact…. I was diagnosed 16 years ago today, November 22nd, 2002.

I'm the first of my mothers two children and seventh of my fathers eight. Although I didn't grow up with my older six siblings, my younger brother Mark and I always felt like we did. My Family's Love has been the most constant thing in my life. 

My extended family is massive - more so on my fathers side, resulting in a gaggle of outlandish experiences. I had no shortage of inappropriate, coming of age moments. I've met a large majority of them because of my parents, as they usually hosted gatherings or were the reason everyone got together.

My adolescence was extraordinary and full of valuable teachers - the pursuit of knowledge became a strategic listening game. I’ve had the best support system a man could ask for, they've all helped me get where I am today. I learned my lessons from a generation completely detached from technology, and I’m truly thankful for that.

"Keep your head on a swivel", my mother would tell me. 

Mary was a nurse her whole life. Always caring for those around her - playing mentor, moderator, and interpreter in all situations. Even the one's she wasn't comfortable in. Her spontaneity and devotion to fun helped form my core understanding and appreciation of the human soul. She was the glue holding the whole operation together and everybody knew it. Her keen sense of fashion and trendsetting have been present in everyones lives she left behind. Mary's warm nature made everyone feel at home - even when she was sick.

Although she may have lost her painfully long battle to Breast Cancer and Myeloid Leukemia in 2009, it was on her terms. 

Hard to explain how she literally planned everything happening around her while her body shut down. 

My younger brother Mark and I held her hands as she passed. 

Her soulmate, my father - Bob, practiced 40+ years as an Ear, Nose, and Throat physician in the country’s smallest state. He was an incredibly smart, strong, and courageous ringleader. A true man of the people as he listened well, understood quickly, and explained simply.

His patients LOVED him. My whole life is littered with positive memories when people publicly addressed my fathers care for them. 

"You saved my life"... or "You saved my husbands life" - everywhere we went. 

At home, he had some silly habits that defined his quirky ways about him. His absolutely hilarious, demanding, and expressive manner helped lay the framework for my work ethic. Born in 1935, I only knew the older version of him and we grew quite close in the years after my mother passed.

Rapid progression into Alzheimer's was one of the worst things to witness and I felt terrible watching my father’s courageous effort.

He passed peacefully the first week of November 2017, surrounded by all eight of his children. 

Memories of my parents keep me going. 

It's amazing how human features pass on from generation to generation, yet some family traits and characteristics skip over people completely.

Feel like I got so, damn, lucky. 

Crazy stuff to observe in a big family so I've tried to emulate the positive and inspirational people in my life. So, while I never liked school or books - I loved learning. I just wouldn't know how much I loved exploring and discovering new things until moving to California and being away from my family. 

Any creative task, really. I just love thinking about complex and seemingly impossible questions regarding simple creations. They all have great meaning to me - how it works, why it works, while challenging anything I can.  Not sure why, they just do.

I was tested outside of the classroom sometime around the 4th - or 5th grade?

I really can't remember, my memory is shit.

I've known the outcome of those elaborate tests to be "ADHD and a processing disorder". I’ve been saying it like that for years. I'm not even sure it's correct, but I’m currently looking into obtaining the results.

Sophomore year in high school I hit a sweet trifecta - it was discovered I had a Hernia (which healed after 4-6 weeks), T1 Diabetes (chronic illness), and I started taking medicine for my ADHD. I went to college a fresh new diabetic on sleep-depriving mental stimulants. I came out totally hooked on a lifestyle unfit for a person with my disease - or anyone else for that matter.

5 years in New York City’s fast-lane was the final nail in the coffin. I was years out of college into a life that wasn't becoming of my background - I knew I needed to make changes and on the 5th anniversary of my mothers passing - May 5th, 2014, I quit smoking cigarettes. While in Jamaica, I had bought my last pack and made a decision to never look back.

Through hard work, diet, and exercise I've been able to steer myself in the right direction. Each day is different but once you learn the fundamentals, it's all about time-management. 

The person I had become was not the man I had envisioned growing into, rather it was an empty shell of a persona and it needed to change. Working out, eating right, and a simple routine have me radiating a different vibe now.. one with a much more personal, positive, and wholesome message.  

It's my spontaneous, quirky, fun-loving mentality that's helped me deal with preforming daily tasks to care for my Type 1 Diabetes. Living in-control has been a direct result of failure, hard work, and determination. I didn't know it at the time but 16 years ago, Type 1 Diabetes steered my life in the right direction and I've learned a tremendous amount because of it.

In the last four years, I've thankfully gotten involved with the diabetes community after focusing on my personal journey.

I never enjoyed school so coming out of college I needed to make sure I got a well-paying job and good health-insurance. I never imagined making it as far as I did in Digital Advertising. 

My parents would be proud, but.. 

I'm currently unemployed with no insurance and looking for work starting over in a new industry. Actually, any industry will do. I just want to work. Professionally spending almost 10 years in the same position (at many different companies) in advertising and marketing - I felt pretty low on any totem pole. While it makes sense now, I never understood the path in-front of me.

I'm an artist at heart who spends free time time running around taking photos, shooting video, and riding bikes and boards up and down California. My adventures have only evolved since moving to the west coast and I’ve just explored 10,000 NEW-TO-ME miles with my dog, Forest.

It started at the beginning of 2016 when I took medical leave from work and over those 10 weeks, I challenged myself more than I ever had before. Attended more doctor appointments and gave more blood than I ever had in that short of time period. I kept a food, liquid, and insulin journal everyday to track my intake. Analyzing these hand-written journals helped me understand my mistakes.

During the last three weeks of that medical leave I completed a 4,000 mile road trip around the west coast in the form of a huge up-side down blood droplet (seriously). Metaphorically - I achieved the upper-hand on my Diabetes during this time alone. My social handle is THE__DROP, for these reasons.

The last 5 years have been the most positive and productive and I'm only getting stronger.

I had to first change my mind about changing my life and then - take action. Now meal planning and a more plant-based diet have helped transform my goals. I am the healthiest I've ever been and I work harder each day to achieve a balance for myself with diabetes through diet and exercise. 

Prepping and eating all whole, organic, fresh food with proper portions - I can confidently say I feel the best I've ever felt. 

My physical and mental issues have taught me to be patient and understand the things in life you cannot control.

Maintaining my blood sugar over the last 16 years - especially the last 5, have proven that there ARE things you can control.   

Keep working. 

Matt