Matthew “Matteo” Sachman, a first-year in Georgetown University’s College of Arts and Sciences who impressed his friends with his good humor and cheerful energy, died Jan. 1 in his hometown of New York City. He was 19.

Sachman came from a family of Hoyas. His mother graduated from Georgetown in 1989, his sister graduated in 2022 and his brother is a third-year student.  

“Matteo was so proud to be a Hoya,” the family wrote to The Hoya. “He loved eating at Call Your Mother and Whisk and hanging out with the many great friends that he made both inside and outside of class.”

“Our hearts are broken, but we are grateful he experienced the Hilltop and made the most of his amazing first semester at Georgetown,” his family added.

Sachman’s family said the cause of death was a Jan. 1 accident in the New York City subway system.

Born July 19, 2004 in New York City, Sachman attended the Collegiate School, an independent boys’ school in Manhattan, graduating in 2023. During his summers, he spent time in Nantucket, Mass., working in a plant nursery and furniture showroom. 

Sachman was a member of the Georgetown Marketing Association (GMA), a volunteer with the HOPE (Homeless Outreach Programs & Education) program — which works with the Center for Social Justice (CSJ) to provide services to Washington, D.C.’s homeless population — and a bartender at the Hilltop Tap Room, an on-campus bar. 

Sachman, a resident of New South Hall, was very close to his roommate Ansel Scholl (CAS ’27), who described Sachman as a steady presence and a light in his life. 

“As a rock, Matteo anchored me in what would otherwise be a rather turbulent point in all our lives,” Scholl wrote to The Hoya. “Despite all the daunting change that is inherent in the first weeks at college, Matteo’s warmth and generosity gave the dorm a permanent feeling of home.”

Scholl said Sachman’s energy lifted his friends.

“Someone like Matteo lives on a little bit in everyone who he meets,” Scholl wrote. “We are all better for it.”

Liam Painter (SFS ’27), another close friend of Sachman’s, remembered Sachman as a larger-than-life character who was spontaneous and always full of joy.

“Matteo left so much behind in his wake — so much happiness and positivity, so much love,” Painter wrote to The Hoya. “The size of his character and of his heart means that he’ll never truly be gone.” 

Painter said he and Sachman volunteered together with the HOPE program, where Sachman coordinated outreach initiatives for people facing food insecurity. 

“I can remember him striking up conversations with just about everyone we met,” Painter wrote. “He had this undeniable charisma, one that would draw you in before you even knew what was happening.”

Sam Perlman (CAS ’27), another of Sachman’s close friends, said he will remember Sachman’s humor — particularly an evening when Sachman volunteered to walk back with him to Darnall Hall, and Sachman pretended to swim toward the dorm.

“It just exemplified how silly and carefree he was,” Perlman said. “He was the kind of person who, it felt like, there was never any pressure on him, which is so unique, and I feel like that was so clear in that moment.”

Sachman often attended Mass at Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart alongside Fr. Mark Bosco, S.J., Georgetown’s vice president for mission and ministry.

Bosco said Sachman was curious — both about his faith and life at Georgetown.

“In the short time that I knew him, I would say that he had a strong sense of faith in God as part of his spiritual journey here, and that he had a cheerful curiosity about everything going on at Georgetown,” Bosco wrote to The Hoya. “I am so very sad that he is not with us any longer, but I know he is in the loving arms of the God he loved.”

Sara Gharahbeigi, an associate teaching professor of mathematics who taught Sachman in “Math and Society” during Fall 2023, said she valued Sachman’s curiosity.

“I really appreciated any students, including Matteo, who gave it a very serious try and did well,” Gharahbeigi told The Hoya. “He was very polite. I could tell he cared about his work.”

GMA, in which Sachman worked on consulting and strategy projects, described him as an innovative team player. 

“Our hearts ache at the loss of such a vibrant and talented member, and we extend our deepest condolences to Matteo’s family and friends,” the GMA board wrote to The Hoya.

Toni Marz (MSB ’26), GMA’s strategy director, said Sachman was a valued member of her team.

“He worked on an amazing mock consulting project for a local business with his peers,” Marz wrote to The Hoya. “I had the privilege of witnessing his collaborative spirit and creativity firsthand during trainings and General Body Meetings.”

Full disclosure: Toni Marz is The Hoya’s Senior Social Editor.

Mariah Rosengarten, the general manager of Hilltop Tap Room, where Sachman worked, said the bar was fully staffed when Sachman arrived looking for a job, but his persistence and enthusiasm persuaded her to hire him.

“He embodied everything we strive to be at the Taproom: passionate, hardworking, and kind,” Rosengarten wrote to The Hoya. “From his smile to his silly comments, Matteo was one of a kind and will never be forgotten.” 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which oversees transit in New York, said their thoughts are with the Sachman family.

“Our hearts go out to Mr. Sachman’s family, friends, and all who are touched by his loss,” MTA spokesperson Aaron Donovan (COL ’98) wrote to The Hoya.

The Sachman family said Sachman loved his time at Georgetown and was excited to return to campus.

“He was thrilled to return to campus for spring semester to take new classes and reunite with Georgetown friends and brother after the break,” the Sachman family wrote. 

Sachman is survived by his parents, Stephen Sachman and Alexia Quadrani (SFS ’89), and siblings, Julia (COL ’22) and Nicholas (SFS ’25).

This article was corrected on Jan. 24, 2024, to correct the name of a program Sachman was involved in.