THE tragic story of how Matthew Stanley lost his life to an alcohol-fuelled violent punch, and the ongoing ramifications for his family is the story his dad, Paul, told to parents and children at St Patrick's last week as part of a statewide anti-violence campaign.

Matthew Stanley lost his life at a party in 2006 and since then, his father, Paul Stanley, has made it his mission to educate kids in Queensland on alcohol violence.

"After Matthew died I decided I would do everything in my power to stop it happening to another family,” Paul Stanley said.

During this trip, Mr Stanley talked to students and parents in south-west Queensland, in a striking reminder that communities cannot just sit idly by when it comes to alcohol violence.

Having been approached by the Department of Education to talk to students in all 225 state schools in Queensland, Mr Stanley was very keen to take up the opportunity to come to St George.

"When I talk about what happened to my son, I talk from the day of the accident to the funeral, I talk about it so the kids know that what happened is real,” Mr Stanley said.

"I do what I do because it is a good way to educate the kids, and acts of violence don't just affect one person, but the whole family, and community.

"You'd think losing a child would bring you closer together, but for my family it didn't, not only is Matthew now gone but that one punch blew apart an entire family,” he said.

"It just goes to show that this kind of thing can happen to anyone.”

During the presentation, Mr Stanley spoke honestly about the consequences of the split-second decision in which Matthew ultimately lost his life.

"All the sorrys in the world won't bring Matthew back,” he said.