Best-selling Author Mattie Stepanek Dies At 13; Leaves A Legacy Of Peace, Hope

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MDA AMBASSADOR, BEST-SELLING AUTHOR MATTIE STEPANEK DIES AT 13; LEAVES A LEGACY OF PEACE, HOPE

TUCSON, Ariz., June 22, 2004 ? The Muscular Dystrophy Association mourns the loss of a ?shining star,? 13-year-old Matthew (Mattie) J.T. Stepanek, who died today in Washington due to complications from his rare neuromuscular disease.

Stepanek made a big impact in his short life. He was internationally known as the best-selling author of five books of poetry, as a peace advocate and as MDA?s National Goodwill Ambassador from 2002 through 2004.

?Mattie was something special, something very special,? said MDA National Chairman Jerry Lewis, who was a good friend of Stepanek?s. ?His example made people want to reach for the best within themselves. It was easy to forget how sick he was because his megawatt personality just made you want to smile.

?With Mattie, there was always a silver lining. Life threw its worst at him and he responded by seeing the good. He was ? he is ? a shining star.?


A Full Life
Stepanek, of Rockville, Md., had dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy, a genetic neuromuscular disease that impaired almost all of his body?s major functions, such as heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and digestion, and caused generalized muscle weakness. In his last few years, he used a power wheelchair, ventilator and supplemental oxygen, and had regular blood transfusions to keep going.

Stepanek?s mother, Jeni, 44, has the adult-onset form of the disease, and his three older siblings died of it in early childhood.


Perhaps because he witnessed death at an early age, Stepanek was acutely aware of the value of life. Precociously intelligent, he began writing poetry at age 3 to cope with the death of his brother, and continued to fill notebooks with poems, stories and observations. Poetry, he said, ?is a way that you can inspire others while you?re expressing your true feelings.?

At an early age, Mattie developed his personal life philosophy: ?Remember to play after every storm. You go through many hard things in life but if you are confident, you'll get through it. You always have to remember to celebrate because that?s what charges you up to get through another life storm.?

In 2001, a slim volume of his poetry, Heartsongs, was published by a small Virginia publisher, and Stepanek?s fame took off. Within weeks, his book shot to the top of the New York Times best-seller list, and he was featured in a variety of national media, including ?The Oprah Winfrey Show,? ?Good Morning America,? People magazine and ?Larry King Live.? Four more books followed, including Journey Through Heartsongs, Hope Through Heartsongs, Celebrate Through Heartsongs and Loving Through Heartsongs, released in January 2003.

In April 2003, singer Billy Gilman released ?Music Through Heartsongs,? an album of songs based on Stepanek?s poems.

On hearing of Stepanek's death, Gilman, MDA's National Youth Chairman, said, "Mattie changed my life and I'll miss him.
"Whenever a great soul is lost, the world is a sadder place. Yet I think Mattie's message of peace and hope will continue for a long time to come."

The young poet became fast friends with such notables as former President Jimmy Carter, entertainers Oprah Winfrey and Larry King, International Association of Fire Fighters President Harold Schaitberger and MDA Telethon anchor Ed McMahon. Forewords to his books were written by Lewis, Carter, and writers Gary Zukav and Maya Angelou.


MDA Activities
Stepanek and his mother were active MDA volunteers for many years. In 2001, he served as Maryland?s MDA Goodwill Ambassador, and his mother was named the MDA Personal Achievement Award recipient for the state.

During his time as MDA?s national spokesperson, he represented families served by the Association at fund-raisers and sponsor gatherings across the country, and taped a number of TV and radio public service announcements about the work of MDA.

He also made three appearances on the national Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, which were huge hits. He cited those experiences, and meeting Jerry Lewis, as among the highlights of his life.

When asked how he felt about being named MDA?s national ambassador for a rare third year, he said, ?I love doing stuff for MDA and am glad that I can continue to help. We?re raising money for a cure and on the way we?re finding ways to keep celebrating.?


Faulty Mitochondria
Stepanek?s disease, dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy, is one of more than 40 muscle-wasting diseases covered by MDA?s research and services programs. The disease affects the mitochondria ? tiny ?power plants? that exist inside most of the body?s cells and generate energy for life and growth. Dozens of varieties of mitochondrial diseases have been identified, with a complex array of symptoms. Doctors believe Stepanek had an extremely rare mutation of the disease.

Born July 17, 1990, Mattie wasn?t expected to live longer than 24 hours, but somehow defied the odds. He attended public school through the fourth grade, dragging his oxygen canister behind him on a luggage carrier. Despite his fragile health, he earned a black belt in martial arts, climbed trees, roller-skated and served as a peer mediator on the school playground. Each year until his death, unless he was in the hospital, he attended MDA summer camp at Camp Maria in Leonardtown, Md.

As his strength declined, Stepanek was homeschooled by his mother, a part-time researcher at the University of Maryland and doctoral student with a master?s degree in education. His curriculum included high school and college-level classes, and he read literally thousands of books.


A Deep Faith
In the spring of 2001, Stepanek had a tracheostomy (insertion of a breathing tube into his throat). Complications from that operation led to uncontrollable bleeding in his trachea, and by mid-summer he was on the brink of death. Doctors at Children?s Hospital in Washington warned that a laugh or a cough would cause his severely eroded windpipe to collapse, leading to death by suffocation. It was in fulfilling his last wishes that his first book of poetry was published.

Doctors aren?t sure why the tracheal bleeding suddenly stopped in August 2001, and labeled the cessation an ?unexplained spontaneous recovery.? Jeni Stepanek later told Larry King, ?Mattie is a combination of miracle and the best medical practice possible.?

In an interview with MDA?s Quest magazine published in June 2002, she noted that her son, who had a deep faith in God, had decided to go home before the bleeding stopped, and had said a prayer just before leaving the hospital: ?Dear God, I?ve decided to go home. They think I?m going home to die. Please let me go home to live. Whether I live one day or 10 years, please let me spend every minute until I die living and celebrating and spreading my message of hope and peace.?

Stepanek was hospitalized again in 2003 for a bleeding airway. He was in grave condition for much of his four-month stay. After his release in May, he resumed his schedule of public appearances and book signings.

He'd returned to the hospital in early 2004, but was released in time to appear at an MDA fund raiser on Feb. 21. He was hospitalized again on March 8.

Peacemaker-Poet-Daddy
Stepanek made good use of his gift of time. As his poetry rose to the top of the best-seller lists, he used his fame to speak out for peace and for the MDA cause.

Stepanek urged people to ?choose to make peace an attitude. We have to want it and make it something that truly matters inside of us.

In 2002, he was the keynote speaker at the Children?s Peace Pavilion in Missouri, speaking before more than 5,000 students. He also addressed an audience of 2,000 at the Action Long Island Youth Conference in New York. His awards include the 2002 Children's Hope Medal of Honor, the 2002 Verizon Courage Award, the 1999 Melinda Lawrence International Book Award for inspirational written works from the Children's Hospice International, and a 2003 award from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services for ?providing hope to children with disabilities around the world.?

In 2003, three MDA offices in the Washington?Baltimore area created the Heartsong Awards, to be given to people who exemplify Stepanek?s spirit in their support of MDA.

Stepanek ? who said he wanted to live to be 101 and be ?a poet, a peacemaker and a daddy? ? always was realistic about the possibility of a cure being found for his rare disease in time to save him.

?But even if they don?t find a cure in my lifetime, we can never give up hope,? he said. ?If you can help do something to fight it, eventually we can find a cure and we can all be happy that each of us were part of the effort.?

Mattie is survived by his mother; his service dog, Micah; and friends.
 
One detail that seems to be missing is that his mother suffers from the adult form of MD, and, for whatever reason, all of her children suffered from MD at an early age, like the above.

Quite sad, but I'm happy that he lived a life more fulfilling than most adults have.

Melon
 
I've seen him on TV many times - he was quite brilliant, not just "for his age" but in general. A life well lived, and he will be missed greatly.

He was a wonderful inspiration to all of us.
 
I agree, he probably was much more fulfilled than most adults

I don't know if it's true, but someone told me that his Father took off.

I am Mattie J.T. Stepanek.
My body has light skin,
Red blood, blue eyes, and blond hair.
Since I have mitochondrial myopathy,
I even have a trach, a ventilator, and oxygen.
Very poetic, I am, and very smart, too.
I am always brainstorming ideas and stories.
I am a survivor, but some day, I will see
My two brothers and one sister in Heaven.
When I grow up, I plan to become
A daddy, a writer, a public speaker,
And most of all, a peacemaker.
Whoever I am, and whatever happens,
I will always love my body and mind,
Even if it has different abilities
Than other peoples' bodies and minds.
I will always be happy, because
I will always be me.

---Mattie
3/2/98
 
melon said:
One detail that seems to be missing is that his mother suffers from the adult form of MD, and, for whatever reason, all of her children suffered from MD at an early age, like the above.


That was in the article:

Stepanek?s mother, Jeni, 44, has the adult-onset form of the disease, and his three older siblings died of it in early childhood.




What an outstanding young person, reading that really makes you feel like you should be out making the most of life.
 
I could never understand how someone who knew he would die so young never seemed to feel sorry for himself or dwell on his illness. He always thought of others first.

I have one of his books--Journey Through Heartsongs. I've used it to teach writing workshops with kids and preteens, and they always like it.

:(
 
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