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Betty Matas passed away in Arizona Monday after battling kidney and heart problems. She was 75 years old. Matas and her husband Bob captured the interest of many New Yorkers back in April, when the couple decided to make their move from Forest Hills, Queens to Sedona, Arizona in a taxi. Their driver was Douglas Guldeniz, a taxi driver from Turkey they met a few weeks earlier when returning from Manhattan to their home in Queens. As they made that first trip, Guldeniz asked them all sorts of questions about their impending move and they asked him if he wanted to come. They were looking for an alternative way of getting from New York to Arizona because the Matases were worried about flying with their two cats, Cleopatra and Pretty Face.
Guldeniz agreed to drive the Matases to Arizona for $3,000, plus gas, food, and lodging during their journey, and another $5,000 for the return trip. A reporter for the Daily News went along for the ride as well, and wrote that other motorists were often surprised to see a yellow New York cab so far from city. The carload of people and cats completed the 2,500 mile journey in six days.
The Daily News described Bob Matas as stunned this week at the loss of his wife. He thought they would have a few years together to enjoy the warm Arizona climate, but he said that his wife Betty was very happy that they had made the trip.
A frail woman who walked slowly, Betty Matas nevertheless displayed the enthusiasm of a schoolgirl about her trek through 10 states.A one-time executive secretary for an advertising firm, she chatted with everyone from truck drivers in Virginia to a teen waitress in a tiny Texas town.
"I always was adventuresome," she said along the way.
The New York Times also has a story on the Matases and their journey, reporting that Bob Matas says both Cleopatra and Pretty Face are doing well.
(Photo by Tina Fineberg/AP)
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Oh, how sad! At least they had the road trip of a lifetime. Good luck, Mr. Matas. I'm very sorry for your loss. :(
RIP
that's really sad – what a shame.
hopefully a lot of people will post their condolescences here before all the morons and trolls come out in full force.
Sad ending to a nice story. RIP Betty.
At least she Escaped From New York!
no moron or troll would post a stupid comment for a white couple, oops, did I say that? maybe a troll would comment on the elderly taking up space and breathing. but not a white couple. not here on gothamist.
anyway, mr. Matas, I'm sorry to hear Mrs. Matas passed away. I'm sure you two had some fun times on that road trip.
Aww, that's so sad. :( Rest in peace Betty.
anyone know how long they were married?
so sad – live your whole life with someone in one place and they they die just as soon as you uproot your life and move. now this guy is out in az without family (or decent chinese food!).
sucks.
How very sad. At least they got to have one last grand road trip together before she died. My condolences to the family, but at least she sounds like the type of woman that has left them with lots of good memories and stories to share.
I loved her on Jackass.
Wow, what a great story. It's stuff like this that makes me proud to live in this city. I can just see, somewhere in Kansas, a yellow cab rolling down the road ... how funny. Rest in peace, Mrs. Matas.
aww rest in peace betty. love this story.. still. however, 8k for the cab PLUS expenses? that seems a bit gauge-y, no?
I remember reading about this before they left--what an endearing story. My condolescences to Mr. Matas and family.
At the very least she got to fulfill one of her dreams.
Rest In Peace Mrs. Betty Matas