This is a tragedy. I'd read Matt's work from time to time and thought it great. I've also met other scribblers and snappers like him, always on the go go go. Eventually, as we learned in his case, it can kill you. For what? Why did he have to die? Why didn't he (or couldn't he) take a couple of days to acclimate? Was it about money?
When Don and I were heading to Paktika the summer of 2010 we purposely built in a fairly long lead time. Once we arrived in Afghanistan it took us about five days of traveling and waiting with stops at KAIA, Salerno, Orgun-E and finally Bermel. Altitude increased at every stop, save one at Salerno where it went down from roughly 5,200 feet at KAIA to 3,800 feet there. The highest elevation en route was at Orgun-E, which, I think was at 7,800 feet. Bermel was a bit lower at around 7,500 feet.
We spent three days at Salerno diddy bopping around trying to acclimate to higher altitudes. I was coming from The WDC, Don from Fort Worth. By the time we got to Bermel and Abu Company we were sort of used to the altitude. I mean sort of in a very generous context. Because of the issues associated with higher elevations we declined to go on an op. There was just no way in hell it would have been safe for anyone if we'd gone up there so shortly after arriving.
Eventually we acclimated and we went out. Our deadline was also incredibly liberal. So loose, in fact, most of my stills folio was shot on film. I imagine Matt was working under similar deadlines as a magazine writer.
My point is this is about safety. For everyone. Is safety worth the money his editors potentially saved because he rushed out there? Nope. Not to me. But then again, maybe that's why those Go Go Go Scibblers and Snappers are generally more successful than me. I'll take my long-term health and life though.
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