A recently surfaced recording of a hate crime has placed a licensed physical therapist from Louisiana under intense scrutiny after he was caught harassing a Black man simply for being present. According to reports, he directed racist remarks and slurs at the man, who was peacefully fishing in a neighborhood pond. The video of the incident has since gone viral, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation of the therapist’s behavior.
The incident took place in a subdivision in Walker, Louisiana, around mid-December. A Black resident of the neighborhood was legally fishing in a pond, reportedly with permission. Without warning, an intoxicated man in a pickup truck drove up to him, allegedly hurled racial slurs, and attempted to intimidate him by trying to drive him out of the subdivision.
In the video, the therapist—identified as Matt Madere of Ace Physical Therapy—is seen in his pickup truck, attempting to force a Black man off the road. According to the man, Madere appeared visibly intoxicated and repeatedly hurled racial slurs at him, allegedly saying, *”[expletive] don’t belong back there,” while the man was simply fishing. Madere reportedly demanded that the man leave the subdivision, claiming that “he owns the neighborhood.”*
A subsequent video reveals that Madere exited his vehicle and attempted to physically threaten the Black man and his companion. By the end of the confrontation, Madere can be seen driving away across the rough terrain, apparently frustrated after failing to intimidate them. Fortunately, it appears that the victims of Madere’s hate-motivated actions were not physically harmed during the incident.
Many people online have criticized the physical therapist.
Although the Black man from the subdivision was physically unharmed, many online expressed concern about the idea of having a neighbor like Madere. Others questioned whether Madere was truly qualified to work as a physical therapist given his reckless behavior. “How can someone like this treat patients?” one user on X asked.
Madere’s personal Facebook account and his business page were quickly identified, and as of this writing, it’s likely that many viewers have contacted the listed numbers to voice their objections to the therapist’s recent behavior. Some commenters have offered Madere the benefit of the doubt, urging others not to judge a person’s character based solely on actions taken while intoxicated. However, many of these same commenters qualified their defense by adding, “That said, there is no excuse for this [racism].”
Many online users expressed outrage that individuals like Madere still exist in today’s society. In his business profile, Madere explicitly describes himself as “a grounded Christian who believes strongly in family values.” One commenter voiced their frustration, saying, “It’s nearly 2026, and it’s unbelievable that people like this still exist. Worse yet, they raise another generation of racists.”
