Marine's Final Facebook Post Touches Hearts

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — “I really don’t know where I’ll end up tonight, but I do know where I windup is where I’m meant to be.”

Matthew DeRemer, 31, posted those words on Facebook at 10:06 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. Less than 12 hours later, the former Marine corporal, was killed by a suspected drunk driver in a crash on 102nd Avenue North.

The Florida Highway Patrol says Steven Lee Clarke, 59, of Seminole was heading east on 102nd Avenue North just before 8 p.m. in a Lincoln MKX. While DeRemer rode his Suzuki motorcycle through the intersection with 98th Street North, Clarke proceeded to turn left, straight into the path of the oncoming bike.

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DeRemer died at the crash scene. Clarke later found himself charged with DUI manslaughter. He was also cited for failure to yield the right of way, a highway patrol report stated.

Hours before the wreck, DeRemer spent his morning reflecting on the year that was.

“I look back at 2015’s huge challenges that I’ve overcome, shared with others, and have once against found myself,” he wrote. “Bring on 2016.”

DeRemer didn’t live to see the New year, but his words live on. His final post also included a meme that has touched hearts across the country ever since.

“We are born in 1 day. We die in 1 day. We can change in 1 day. And we can fall in love in 1 day. Anything can happen in just 1 day.”

DeRemer’s post has since been shared more than 10,000 times and has nearly 30,000 likes.

Clarke was booked into the Pinellas County Jail following the crash. He has since been released in lieu of $20,000 bond.

Image via Shutterstock