Father of THP Trooper Matt Gatti says son died ‘doing what he loved’

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — “Matt’s life with us has ended, but his legacy is going to live on,” said Chris Gatti, father of Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Matt Gatti.

Gatti was killed Monday afternoon while responding to a car fire on Interstate 40.

“Outstanding young man, 24 years old. He carried himself more mature than a normal 24-year-old would,” Capt. Jimmie Johnson with the Tennessee Highway Patrol Memphis District said while describing Gatti.

Officials say Gatti lost control of his car, hit the back of a tractor-trailer, spun out and then hit another tractor-trailer.

“He was young, he was energetic, he was always trying to learn,” Johnson said.

Gatti would have celebrated his one-year anniversary with THP next month.

Capt. Johnson says they’ve gotten support from West, Middle and East Tennessee, as well as other states.

“As law enforcement, we’re family and we’re going to lean on each other and other departments to get through this tough time,” Capt. Johnson said. “We’re just going to take it day by day.”

Gatti leaves behind his wife, Anna, as well as his parents and three siblings.

“Everybody he came in contact with, to him, it was an opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life,” Chris Gatti said.

And his father’s last memory is something he’ll never forget.

“The last picture I have of my son is last night at church. That’s what I want him to be remembered as — everything he did was for someone else and his God,” Gatti said.

The family says they are thankful for the support from THP and other agencies across the state.