Matthew "Mattie" Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek (July 17, 1990 â?? June 22, 2004) was an American poet and advocate. At the age of 3, Stepanek started to write poetry to cope with the death of his older brother. His first five books are: Heartsongs, Journey Through Heartsongs, Hope Through Heartsongs, Celebrate Through Heartsongs and Loving Through Heartsongs. All five works made the New York Times' Best Seller list. He wrote that a 'Heartsong' is a person's special gift to be shared with others... or a person's 'reason for being.'
Stepanek wanted to be remembered as "a poet, a peacemaker, and a philosopher who played." His mother fulfilled her promise to Mattie and edited one last collection of poetry, entitled Reflections of a Peacemaker, another NY Times bestseller. His final book, a collection of essays and e-mail correspondence with Former President Jimmy Carter also became a NY Times bestseller, and was awarded a Gold Medal in the IPPY Outstanding Book of the Year 'Peacemaker' category in 2007. Children's Peace Pavilion offers a membership program called Peace Champions inspired by his work.
Stepanek had a rare form of muscular dystrophy, dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy. His sister and two brothers died from the disease, and his mother has the adult form, diagnosed only after her children were born.
In 2002, Stepanek became the Muscular Dystrophy Association National Goodwill Ambassador, due to his national high profile because of his poetry and related appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, and Good Morning America. Stepanek died at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, June 22, 2004.
Stepanek's funeral was held on June 28, 2004, at St. Catherine Laboure Roman Catholic Church in Wheaton, Maryland. Nearly 1,350 people attended, including Oprah Winfrey and country singer Billy Gilman. A eulogy was delivered by former President Jimmy Carter, who said, "We have known kings and queens, and we've known presidents and prime ministers, but the most extraordinary person whom I have ever known in my life is Mattie Stepanek. His life philosophy was 'Remember to play after every storm!' and his motto was: "Think Gently, Speak Gently, Live Gently.
Madison Cross, the daughter of singer-songwriter Christopher Cross, a good friend of Stepanek, wrote and recorded a song dedicated to him entitled "He Was Just Like Me" in 2005.
Mattie was amazing beyond his years. This is what he wrote on 9/11
FOR OUR WORLD
[SIZE=1]We need to stop.
Just stop.
Stop for a moment.
Before anybody
Says or does anything
That may hurt anyone else.
We need to be silent.
Just silent.
Silent for a moment.
Before we forever lose
The blessing of songs
That grow in our hearts.
We need to notice.
Just notice.
Notice for a moment.
Before the future slips away
Into ashes and dust of humility.
Stop, be silent, and notice.
In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts
To nurture, to offer, to accept.
We need to be.
Just be.
Be for a moment.
Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting,
Like children and lambs,
Never judging or vengeful
Like the judging and vengeful.
And now, let us pray,
Differently, yet together,
Before there is no earth, no life,
No chance for peace.
September 11, 2001
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
http://www.mattieonline.com/