Harl, Matthew Darren's Obituary
Matthew Darren Harl, 36, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, passed away July 8, 2026. He was a musician, a veteran, a fiercely loyal friend, and a free spirit who lived life entirely on his own terms. Matt filled 36 years with more living, more laughter, and more music than most people fit into a lifetime.
Matt was born on March 30, 1990, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. From the beginning, he was one of the family's babies, doted on and adored. He grew up especially close to his sister Melissa, his cousin Tyler, and his beloved grandmother Jeanie, his “Mimi.” He never stopped showing up for the people he loved: appearing at families' homes nearly every weekend with a new video, a new song, or a new show everyone simply had to watch, giving gifts he had clearly thought hard about, and side-hugging everyone hello and goodbye.
Matt proudly served six years in the Oklahoma Army National Guard, from 2009 to 2015, as a behavioral health specialist with the 120th Medical Company in Broken Arrow, attaining the rank of Specialist and earning an honorable discharge. It surprised no one who knew him that the friend who always showed up chose, as a soldier, to care for other soldiers.
Music was Matt's calling and his way of life. Performing as Young Verse, he wrote and released music for more than a decade, building a catalog streamed millions of times, including “Brothers” and, fittingly, “Back in the Day (90's Kids Theme Song),” an anthem for the era he never stopped loving. Along the way, he built an online following nearly two million strong. He was proudest of his music, his legacy, and the connections he made in the industry. Beyond the bars and the beats, his family wants it known that he could genuinely sing.
Matt was a proud 90s kid to his core: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pokémon, Power Rangers, and shelves of memorabilia, rare video games, and DVDs to prove it. He was a devoted UFC fan, a regular at comedy shows and concerts, a walking encyclopedia of trivia and movie quotes, a Mario Party rival who would play for hours, and a lifelong loyal fan of JoJo, his one true celebrity crush. He was stubborn, hard-headed, and particular about nearly everything. His family and friends will tell you, often in the same breath, that he was kind, honest, hilarious, and a big teddy bear. He was, as his friends put it, genuinely fun to argue with, because he argued about the things he loved.
Above all, Matt showed up. He stood beside his friends at their weddings, floated the Illinois River with them, traveled anywhere for an adventure, and everywhere he went, he knew someone. When you needed him, he came. If he couldn't fix the problem himself, he knew exactly who could.
Matt is survived by his father, John Harl of Broken Arrow; his mother, Debbie Bridges of Broken Arrow; his sister, Melissa Bridges; his brother, Michael Bridges, and his wife, Kristina; his nieces and nephews, Brennan Stroup, Kadyn Bridges, Braxton Lloyd, Khloe Bridges, and Lillian Johnson; his grandmother, Jeanie “Mimi” Campbell; his aunts, Kimberly Campbell, Michelle Salazar, and Teresa Clausing; his uncles, Steven DuVall and Larry DuVall; his great-aunts, Kathy Estes and Jackie Tingler; his many cousins; and his chosen brothers, Dakota, Hunter, and Chike, along with a legion of friends who loved him. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Tom Campbell, John W. Harl Jr., and Larry and Norma “Sue” DuVall.
A viewing will be held Monday, July 20, 2026, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Floral Haven Funeral Home in Broken Arrow. A Celebration of Life service will be held Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Battle Creek Church in Jenks. Burial to follow at Calvary Cemetery.
Do something Matt would have loved: blast some 90s hip-hop, watch a King of Queens episode, argue passionately about music with someone you love, or do something that makes you feel truly alive.
Matt Harl lived more in 36 years than most do in a lifetime. He will be deeply missed, and he will not be forgotten.
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