'A massive loss': Jane Station fatal stabbing victim leaves behind 7 children, many close friends

He was the “best at everything he did,” someone everyone “looked up to,” say those who knew and loved 39-year-old Matteo (Matthew) Rumble.

On June 25, the long-time North York resident died in the hospital after being stabbed during an altercation outside Jane Subway Station. He is Toronto’s 43rd homicide victim of 2024.

Rumble leaves behind seven children – Casandra 20, Matthew 18, Royal 14, Athena, 8, Stellina, 7, Natalia 6, and Violetta, 4 – as well as several close friends and family members, all of whom are grappling with his untimely death.

“He was the guy we all looked up to and now he’s gone,” said Stella K., Rumble’s high school sweetheart and the mother of six of his children.

She said that their kids were looking forward to a fun summer, instead they’re left to grieve the death of their dad.

“This is a very difficult time for me and my family. … His kids did not deserve to be growing up without a father,” she told CP24.com late last week.

“(Matthew) won’t be there for the milestones, walking his daughters down the aisle, the graduations, the birthdays, all the holidays.”

Stella said that police officers arrived at her door the night that Rumble died to give her the news and she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“I’m still trying to process everything. … This shouldn’t have happened,” she said, adding that this tragedy occurred on the busy last week of school.

“I’m a strong, independent woman and I will continue on for the kids, but it’s going to be hard for me.”

Rumble, Stella said, had planned to spend time with his second oldest child the day after he was killed. She shared that he and their 18-year-old son Matthew had just started working together at Insomnia Restaurant and Lounge on Bloor Street West, where Rumble had cooked for about a decade. A vigil is being organized for him in the near future at the Annex establishment.

“Matthew was loved by a lot of people. If somebody needed something, he was always there to help,” said Stella.

“He’s gone too soon. He had a long life ahead of him. He didn’t have to die at 39.”

Stella shared that this loss is especially difficult as she recently lost her father. Both of Rumble’s parents also passed away in the last two years, she added.

“Now I have to bury my kids’ father. This is crazy,” said Stella, who held a small vigil outside Jane Station a few days after her long-time partner’s death.

“It’s been all taken away from me and my children. I have no words left.”

She added that losing her first love to violence on the TTC has been extremely traumatizing and said that Rumble’s death has her feeling unsafe and scared to use public transit.

Close friend Aaron Mercer recently launched a crowdfunding page to raise money for Rumble’s funeral and to help support his children.

He told CP24.com that he’ll deeply miss his long-time friend. The two met roughly two decades ago in Scarborough and both had 20-year-old daughters.

“We talked every day. We sent each other messages and we both loved gaming,” said Mercer, who now lives in B.C.

“We have a whole group of friends and everybody’s just shocked. … It’s hard to make sense of what’s happened.”

Mercer said that Rumble wasn’t someone who had a “high-risk lifestyle” or who was “known to get into trouble.” He said that his friend was a guy who worked hard and loved his kids, who spent his free time working out and online gaming.

“He was just the best at everything he did,” Mercer said.

“This is a massive loss, especially for his family. … Everyone is just heartbroken. It’s a tragedy.”

Mercer said that Rumble was heading to Trinity Bellwoods Park on the evening of June 25 to meet up with some friends when a fight broke out on the bus and he was ultimately stabbed to death.

Late last week, two people were arrested in connection with Rumble’s death. Tefai Silva Opoku-Boadu, 22, of Kitchener, is facing one count of second-degree murder, while 19-year-old Mackenzie Hargarve, of Warminster, has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder. The accused both appeared in court on July 5.

Both Mercer and Stella said that the two recently announced arrests bring some justice, but offer little consolation as they’ll never see Rumble again.

The accused, Stella noted, are young enough to be his children.

A funeral service for Rumble is still being organized at this time.