Hello dear world.....There was a young man named Matthew J.T. Stepanek , best known as "Mattie". He began writing poetry and short stories since age three. His first four books of poetry are titled "Heartsongs, Journey Through Heartsongs, Hope Through Heartsngs and Celebrate Through Heartsongs".
Mattie was a frequent public speaker who appeared on many shows such as Good Morning America and also Larry King. He had his poetry published in newspapers and magazines nationwide. In 2002, Mattie was awarded the Children's Hope Medal of Honor, the Verizon Courage Award, and the Humanitarian Award from the Pediatric Nursing Society of America. He also received the Freddie Award for his public speaking and advocacy related to muscular dystrophy and Children's Hospice. Mattie served as the Maryland State Goodwill Ambassador for the Muscular Association as well as the National Goodwill Anbassador for 2202 and 2003.
Mattie was born J.T. Stepanek on July 17, 1990, he was the youngest of 4 children each born with a life-threatening neuromuscular disease. Mattie never knew his two oldest siblings, Katie and Stevie, who died before he was born. But he was very close to his brother, Jamie who died when they were both preschoolers. Mattie began callings his creations "HeartSongs" when he was about five years old. Mattie defined a HeartSong as a "person's inner beauty and strength" and "a person's special message and reason to be,"in this world.
Despite the amount of time Mattie spent in the hospital during his last year of his life, he worked dilligently on many writing and speaking projects related to hope and peace for the world, and for each of us as individuals. On March 7, 2004, Mattie penned his last poem, and called it"Final Thoughts". The following day, he went into heart failure. He died three and a half months later, on June 22.He wrote a poem titled "Purple Moon" which I really like.
Purple Moon
Sometimes,
I think the world
Would be lovelier
If the moon
Glowed purple
During the darkness......
A gentle glimmering ray
Of healing and hope,
Illuminating the earth
And the people....
The slow pace
And contemplation
Of lava lamp nights
Peacefully demonstrating
A quieter,
Gentler way
Of passing time.....
Oh, reflect upon a
Purple moon, a
peaceful tune, a
Patient light,
Pacific rune...
But sometimes,
When life
Gets in the way,
Blocking the passage
Of night into day,
And I realize the pull
Of the ebbing tide
Is not so far away,
For it is coming,
Ever and too soon,
I don't even know
If it matters for now
If there is purple, or
If there is a moon.
Mattie J.T. Stepanek
February 29, 2004
