'Celebrity IOU': Who is Mat Hardege? Here's all you need to know about 'This Is Us' star Justin Hartley's friend
Let's be honest here, who doesn't love a nice 'feel good' story? There's always something about those that can brighten your whole mood and make the day seem just a little better. With the way 2020 is ending, we all can definitely use a ray of sunshine now and then. And no one does a quick pick-me-up quite like 'Celebrity IOU'. The hit HGTV video series follows builder brother duo, Jonathan and Drew Scott who dish out the ultimate home makeovers, as they are joined by various celebrities who know the family or person featured in each episode. In Season 1, we saw stars like Brad Pitt, Melissa McCarthy, Viola Davis, Rebel Wilson and Micheal Buble. Season 2 promises to be just as exciting as it features Zooey Deschanel, Justin Hartley, Allison Janney and Rainn Wilson.
The series' latest episode gave us a super heartwarming moment, as we saw 'This Is Us' actor Justin Hartley join the brother duo (on an excavator, no less). But shenanigans aside, we couldn't get enough of the family that Justin was there to help-his best buddy Mat Hardege. You're probably wondering who Mat is, right? Here's what you need to know.
Mat and Justin go way back
Justin and Mat have known each other for over a decade, their friendship essentially blossomed over their love for beer and baseball.
Mat is a former property manager and a father of two
Not surprisingly, Justin is close to Mat's entire family. "I have a deep love for him and his two daughters" Justin said on the episode. The couple's family had been renting apartments for a while and had finally managed to buy their own home, however, it clearly needed a major facelift. Most of the Hardege family's budget went into renovations, leaving barely any funds to do much to the outside of the house.
Sticking through thick and thin
"The true measure of the man is, when things aren’t going your way, he’s the guy that’s going to make sure that you’re not alone or that you remember who you are. When you have people like that in your life, it makes it easier to stay on track." Justin said during the episode. Looks like Mat has really stuck by Justin through the years. Justin also confirmed that Mat has always been a kind and generous person. Being a part of the show gave Justin an opportunity to pay back his friend for the kindness he's shown him over the years. Mat and his wife Maribel wanted to create an outdoor oasis for their family, but unfortunately, they didn't seem to have the budget for it. Thankfully, that's where Jonathan, Drew and Justin stepped in and were able to convert the family's dream into a beautiful reality.
