Mattie Stepanek
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Matthew "Mattie" Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek (July 17, 1990 – 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 five books are: Heartsongs, Journey Through Heartsongs, Hope Through Heartsongs, Celebrate Through Heartsongs and Loving Through Heartsongs. Three of the five works made the New York Times's Best Seller list.
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. The forthcoming Just Peace is a collection of Mattie's correspondence with former President Jimmy Carter and essays on peace. 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. That same year, The Onion published a thinly-veiled criticism of Stepanek in its article "Nation Afraid To Admit 9-Year-Old Disabled Poet Really Bad". Stepanek died at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, June 22, 2004.
Stepanek's funeral was held on June 29, 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 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.
