A tribute to a life lived with 'purpose, enthusiasm, humour, and integrity'

22 December 2025

When people speak of Acting Detective Sergeant Matt Burgin-Powell, they tell of his smile, his love of dancing and his effortless ability to make other people happy.

They speak about the way he walked into a room and lifted the entire atmosphere, or how he made people feel heard, understood, and cared for. They speak, above all else, about his selflessness - something he carried not only throughout his policing career, but right to the very end.

Matt died from a heart attack at the age of 32 at the beginning of November. His death has left a profound and immeasurable void in the hearts of his loved ones, among colleagues, within the community he lived and served.

This is a tribute to a life lived with purpose, enthusiasm, humour, and integrity. It is a story of a man who touched countless lives, saved many more, and whose legacy of kindness and service continues to shine - even after he died.

A ‘bundle of energy’

Matt’s mum, Ruth Powell, 59, remembers him as ‘my sunshine’ - a mischievous, energetic son when he was younger, who ran before he walked. She tells how he was sociable, loving, deeply studious, and never stopped striving to be the best version of himself.

“He didn’t know how good he was,” she said, adding: “But we all did.”

Matt, who grew up in Hadleigh, also leaves behind his sister, Connie, who spoke with both heartbreak and immense gratitude.

“Everyone says they have the best big brother,” said 25-year-old Connie, adding: “But I really did.

“He was supportive, selfless and caring. The person who made sure I was never sad.

 

Matt with his sister Connie

 

“I feel robbed that I won’t have him for the rest of my life,” she says. “But I also feel so lucky that I had him at all.”

Connie, a Harlequins and international rugby player, is determined to keep Matt’s memory alive. She said: “His legacy will live on, in how I play rugby - I want to show the strength he showed until his last breath. He will shape how I live my life and how I treat other people.

“My new saying is live life more like MBP - not MVP [most valuable player].”

Matt’s husband, fellow police officer Luke Burgin-Powell, told how ‘fortunate’ he felt to have met him. 

“My heart swells seeing all of the lovely comments and tributes to Matt. I knew what an incredible person he was. I know what a difference Matt made - but now the whole world is seeing how special he was.”

A passionate police officer, dedicated to the job

Long before he joined the police, Matt had always been fascinated by psychology, safeguarding, and the darker complexities of human behaviour. At Nottingham Trent University, he studied psychology and criminology, represented the university in dance, and even wrote his thesis on child sex offenders. Helping people was at the core of who he was.

When he met Luke and saw the camaraderie and purpose of policing up close, he realised where he truly belonged.

“When he put that uniform on, he stood taller - the uniform gave him such confidence,” Luke said. “He was very academic, but policing brought out a strength in him that had always been there.”

 

Matt and husband Luke

 

He joined in October 2018, flourishing first in response, then the CID main office, before moving into the Safeguarding Investigation Unit - the area he loved most. As an acting sergeant in the unit, he was admired not only for his diligence but for his compassion.

He was the kind of officer who never left a job unfinished - the one who stayed late or never took sick days. Who cared deeply about what people thought - not out of insecurity, but out of a genuine desire to do right by victims and colleagues alike.

The team he led respected him enormously, and it was widely acknowledged that he had transformed the unit for the better.

A love that began with chance but changed everything

Luke met Matt on 7 September 2016, through a dating app. At the time, Matt - who was 23 - was working for an electrical wholesaler, and Luke, 44 was a response police officer going through an incredibly difficult time. He had just come out of a marriage and was under investigation by PSD (an investigation that was later resolved).

“But then I met Matt,” Luke said. “He was only 23. Any other 23-year-old would have run a mile from the situation I was in. But none of it phased him.

“That was a testament to his character - and the person he was, and continued to be until the day he died.”

What began as exchanged numbers and tentative meet-ups quickly developed into something deeper. Their first photograph together was taken at the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Market - nine years ago - on the very day they decided they were officially dating.

Matt told Luke early on, ‘I think I’m falling in love with you’,  while Luke was on duty. And from that moment, their bond only grew.

A home, a marriage, a life built together

Matt moved in with Luke in early 2017. They built a life together, filled with laughter, dancing and becoming the owners of two pooches, Toby and Dexter. Matt adored Luke’s children, and his step-children equally adored him back.

Having proposed to Luke on Easter Bank Holiday 2017, the pair wed on 6 May 2018 at Hintlesham Hall. 

 

 

The couple wore tweed suits and treated guests to a three-course hot meal, only for it to be a sun-soaked celebration in 32-degree heat. 

They loved life together. They had plans - big ones. A home purchased in 2019, and dreams of one day buying a place in Sicily. 

Service to the very end

On 6 November, Matt began experiencing symptoms, including numb arms, chest pain, and a sense that something was wrong. He was at home on his own and called 111 before collapsing. He was unconscious for seven minutes and suffered catastrophic brain damage.

What followed were the hardest days of Matt’s loved ones' lives, during which his family stayed by his bedside for the next few days before Matt died. 

Of course, in typical Matt fashion, he continued giving - even after he died a few days later on 10 November.

He was an organ donor, and at least three people are now alive because of him. His kidneys and liver saved lives. Parts of him continue to breathe and beat in others. 

“That gives me comfort,” said his sister, Connie. “Even in his last moments, he was helping people.”

“Those few last days we had with Matt we the hardest I think we will ever go through. But in those last moments, knowing that Matt was still helping others and continuing to save lives, it gave me a small comfort.

“He made the decision to donate his organs - that was all him. He was so selfless.”

Honouring a remarkable life

On Tuesday (16 December), Matt received a full police funeral at Seven Hills Crematorium, with hundreds of loved ones, friends and colleagues in attendance - a reflection of the respect he earned across the Force. 

Tributes have poured in from victims he supported during his career. They speak of his compassion, his professionalism, and the difference he made.

Funds raised in Matt’s honour will support the East Anglian Air Ambulance - the very team that supported him when he collapsed at home.

Matt’s lasting legacy to others

In Matt’s honour, Luke is now urging colleagues to look after their wellbeing.

“For Matt, there were no real warning signs that this was going to happen,” said Luke, who recalled how he and Matt had run the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April 2024.

The pair were running for charity after Luke was diagnosed with non-endemic Kaposi Sarcoma, which is a rare cancer that can be treated but not cured.

Luke continued: “Just over 18 months ago, we ran a half-marathon together. He was fit and well - it was me who had just received a cancer diagnosis.

“So our message to others is check in on yourself - and check in on those around you. Policing, especially, can be a really challenging job, so please prioritise your physical and mental health.”

You can donate to the East Anglian Air Ambulance in Matt’s honour via an online tribute page.