MasterChef’s Matt Preston reveals losing his brother William to epilepsy has left a ’35 year hole’ in his life: ‘The hurt is always there’

MasterChef's Matt Preston reveals losing his brother William to epilepsy has left a '35 year hole' in his life: 'The hurt is always there'

As a dedicated follower and admirer of Matt Preston’s work, I can’t help but be moved by his heart-wrenching story about losing his beloved brother William to Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). His courage in opening up about this tragic event is truly commendable. It’s heartbreaking to think that for 35 years, Matt has felt the emptiness left by his brother’s absence. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to carry such a heavy burden of grief and loss.


Matt Preston has shared deeply about the impact of his brother’s passing due to epilepsy, explaining that this tragic event has created a void in his life that spans over three and a half decades.

62-year-old ex-MasterChef judge and culinary critic endured a heartbreaking loss when his younger sibling, William, aged 22, passed away suddenly due to Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) in 1988.

An uncommon situation arises when someone who is generally healthy and has epilepsy passes away unexpectedly, not due to a seizure-related incident, and no cause of death can be determined.

Every day, Matt finds himself missing his brother William deeply, as the heartbreaking loss continues to linger.

He shared with the Herald Sun that the pain persists, leaving behind a void for the past thirty-five years.

‘Imagining him at the age he would be now, 58, leaves a hollow feeling. It seems that while we believe our sorrows to be unique, they frequently touch many others.’

Matt, who served as an advocate for Epilepsy Action Australia, reminisced about the tragic incident when his mom, Jennifer, discovered William’s lifeless body.

He told us, “I phoned for an ambulance, and it wasn’t until they arrived with large cloths labeled ‘refrigerator’ that I understood for the first time that he was already deceased.

MasterChef's Matt Preston reveals losing his brother William to epilepsy has left a '35 year hole' in his life: 'The hurt is always there'

Jennifer, who passed away in 2022, was inspired by a tragic event to become an ardent supporter and activist for SUDEP Action.

He expressed his anger over the thoughtless manner in which it was managed, and emphasized the importance of providing comfort to those who are grieving. A meaningful way to honor William, he suggested, is by discussing this topic.

On prior occasions, Matt has addressed the public concerning his brother’s demise, revealing that they, as a family, did not know about his health issues preceding William’s passing.

Essentially, I didn’t know for certain. Neither did my family. We suspected he might be in danger due to the risks involved, but unfortunately, it turned out that he had passed away. He shared this account on Nova’s Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie in 2023.

MasterChef's Matt Preston reveals losing his brother William to epilepsy has left a '35 year hole' in his life: 'The hurt is always there'

“This tale is challenging to recount, yet it’s the one I feel most honored to share. The reason being, my mother’s courageous response – she established a charity alongside other mothers, offering assistance in similar situations.

Somewhere, Matt has suggested that he and his ex-MasterChef colleague Gary Meighan are currently developing a thrilling new venture.

In June, the previous contestants from the Network Ten cooking competition (who departed in 2019) gathered together at Channel Seven’s headquarters in Sydney.

It remains undetermined which specific project Matt, Gary, and Seven could have been talking about; however, Gary’s representative has verified to Daily Mail Australia that they are indeed working on several new projects together.

According to a representative, both Gary and Matt have collaborated on multiple ventures, including one focused on Luxury Escapes, a collection of travel excursions, as reported by Daily Mail Australia.

MasterChef's Matt Preston reveals losing his brother William to epilepsy has left a '35 year hole' in his life: 'The hurt is always there'

Within just 24 hours, the first two events in India and Vietnam were completely sold out. Now, we’re preparing for the Sri Lanka tour to go on sale, and there are several more tours in the works that we plan to release soon.

In May, the pair joined forces with their ex-castmate George Calombaris to support Bowel Cancer Australia by organizing fundraising efforts together.

At Hotel Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula, a group of three people seized control of the kitchen during the Friends of George gathering.

Everyone consented to come together again, with the shared intention of honoring George’s deceased father, Jim, who passed away from that illness in November of the previous year.

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2024-10-15 15:50

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