SCARBOROUGH – Matthew Noyes of 15 Pin Oak Drive in Scarborough, passed away peacefully with his loving family and friends at his bedside on Sunday, April 27.

He survived six years with a highly malignant brain tumor, enduring multiple surgeries, radiation therapy treatments and investigational chemotherapy. Although he knew the survival rate for this type of tumor was six to 12 months, Matt was able to defy the odds. His cancer never defined his life or dampened hiss kind soul and spirit.

He was known to his friends as a “gentle giant” and has touched the lives of so many people in his 25 short years of life. He was a WCSH Teens Who Care award winner in 2001 along with his brother, Bryan, for their work with teaching developmentally challenged children how to ice skate.

He excelled both in ice hockey and football at both Cheverus and Scarborough High schools. He had the honor of playing in the 2001 Lobster Bowl to benefit the Shriner’s Hospitals. He went on to play college football at Lawrence University in Wisconsin, for one year and later attended UNH. He was also an avid outdoorsman, who always loved spending time at Richardson Lake.

He is survived by his loving wife, Sarah (Craves) Noyes of Scarborough; his parents, William Noyes and Nancy Ferguson-Noyes of Scarborough; his brother, Bryan of Biddeford; his sister, Allyson of Scarborough; the Craves family of Windham; and many other loving family and friends.

His treatment for his cancer was done at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., along with the Maine Center for Cancer Medicine. The Noyes family would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people that made his survival so long: Dr. Kerry Connell, Dr. William D’Angelo, Dr. Kurt Ebrahim, Missy, Danielle, Peggy, and all of the wonderful staff at the Gosnell Hospice in Scarborough. We would especially like to thank our guardian angel, Dr. Amar Gajjar, who so kindly and skillfully treated Matthew at St. Jude. We also wish to thank Dr. Jesse Jenkins who was instrumental in getting Matthew to St. Jude for his treatment. Lastly, the wonderful people at PETCO in South Portland for being there for him and providing him love, encouragement and hope.