When Frankie Lax, president of MaxxGuard Inc., first learned his son-in-law, Matthew Gatti, a member of the Tennessee Highway Patrol had lost his life in an automobile accident, Monday, he had to break the news to his daughter.
“The hardest thing I had to do … my daughter Anna Lax Gatti was here working at MaxxGuard, when I had to tell her the news that her husband had lost his life in the line of duty,” Lax said, “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.
Lax made his comments during a press conference at his offices at 1869 U.S. Highway 45 Bypass.
“We’ve had many calls from friends, people that I haven’t heard from in years (and) family members, and I say thank you for that.”
Gatti, an on-duty Tennessee trooper lost his life in an automobile accident on Interstate 40 responding to a car fire Monday afternoon when he lost control of his car and hit a tractor-trailer.
It was reported Gatti’s car then spun into another tractor-trailer.
The 24-year-old Gatti was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gatti, who served as a corrections officer in Madison County before he became a trooper in the summer of 2018, also worked for Lax at MaxxGuard.
“This is where Matthew Gatti began his career … he is my son-in-law,” Lax said, “There has never been a finer young man that ever worked for me, and I was proud he married my daughter, Anna.
“We’ve heard people talk about Matthew as a trooper (but) he was a solid guy, and I loved him.”
Arrington Funeral Directors is in charge of the services, which will be held at West Jackson Baptist Church at 2 p.m., Monday.
Visitation will be held from 11 a.m., until the time of the service.
Gov. Bill Lee will be in attendance.
“Officers from throughout the nation will be in attendance, and we are very touched and moved by that,” Lax said, “This is a terrible tragedy … Matthew Gatti was a solid Christian boy, and he was a solid committed Tennessee Highway Patrol officer.”
(PHOTO: Frankie Lax, left, with Lt. William Futrell, Tennessee Highway Patrol)
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