Matt died in a helicopter crash in Mongolia on January 13, 2001 at the age of 36. He had been stationed in Mongolia working for the United Nations Children's Fund and was en route to a Mongolian province to assess livestock herds devastated by extreme winter weather and famine.

His untimely death made the local news and many Spokesman-Review readers replied to the article, some sharing their memories of Matt.

The Friends of Mongolia organization created a scholarship in his name.

Matt's oldest brother Tim is a well-known designer and wrote several moving articles about his youngest brother:

• Matthew - A Learning (Tim's thoughts immediately after Matt's death)
• I go back (Photos of Tim and his parents remembering Matt in 2009)
• Matthew Girvin | Ten Years (written on the ten year anniversary of Matt's death)

Tim created a photo montage of Matt's life, all the way from birth to his life serving others in Mongolia: