WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — Kevin MacDonald is speaking out for the first time about his best friend Matt Dennison, who passed away on Thursday after they were involved in a serious crash last month.
MacDonald is throwing a comedy show for his late friend in hopes that jokes will bring people together.
“I’m doing better every day, you know?” he said.
The 17-year-olds were on their way to the West Warwick hockey rink back in February when their car was hit head-on by an alleged drunk driver in Exeter. On Thursday, Dennison died from his injuries.
Ever since the crash support has been flooding in.
“It feels amazing. I wish Matt could be here to also experience it,” MacDonald said. “Matt was always the laughter and had jokes.”
That’s why MacDonald is honoring him with something he says Dennison always liked to do: laugh.
“It’s a comedy event called ‘Clap Back with Matt.’ We’re hosting it on June 4 and 100% of the proceeds go to the Dennison family,” MacDonald explained.
The 18 years and older event will be held at the West Warwick Civic Center.
MacDonald says if Dennison was still here today, he “probably would be making fun of me and joking around with me.”
Even with a broken femur, a 20-inch rod in his leg, a broken arm, and two metal plates, MacDonald has big plans for the future.
“I’m going to go back and play hockey and just be better for him as well as because I know he’d want me to. I know he’d want everybody to be better than they were before,” he said.
MacDonald says doctors told him he could be walking by August and be back on the ice by November, but will be a battle nonetheless.
“Even with the toughest of things, there’s always a bright side to everything and you just have to move forward,” he said.
More information on the comedy event will be released to Facebook in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the man police say is responsible, Alexander Krejewski, will be back in court on Tuesday facing new charges.
