Mattie Miracle Walk 2023 was a $131,249 success!

Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation Promotional Video

Thank you for keeping Mattie's memory alive!

Dear Mattie Blog Readers,

It means a great deal to us that you take the time to write to us and to share your thoughts, feelings, and reflections on Mattie's battle and death. Your messages are very meaningful to us and help support us through very challenging times. To you we are forever grateful. As my readers know, I promised to write the blog for a year after Mattie's death, which would mean that I could technically stop writing on September 9, 2010. However, at the moment, I feel like our journey with grief still needs to be processed and fortunately I have a willing support network still committed to reading. Therefore, the blog continues on. If I should find the need to stop writing, I assure you I will give you advanced notice. In the mean time, thank you for reading, thank you for having the courage to share this journey with us, and most importantly thank you for keeping Mattie's memory alive.


As Mattie would say, Ooga Booga (meaning, I LOVE YOU)! Vicki and Peter



The Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation celebrates its 7th anniversary!

The Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation was created in the honor of Mattie.

We are a 501(c)(3) Public Charity. We are dedicated to increasing childhood cancer awareness, education, advocacy, research and psychosocial support services to children, their families and medical personnel. Children and their families will be supported throughout the cancer treatment journey, to ensure access to quality psychosocial and mental health care, and to enable children to cope with cancer so they can lead happy and productive lives. Please visit the website at: www.mattiemiracle.com and take some time to explore the site.

We have only gotten this far because of people like yourself, who have supported us through thick and thin. So thank you for your continued support and caring, and remember:

.... Let's Make the Miracle Happen and Stomp Out Childhood Cancer!

A Remembrance Video of Mattie

August 31, 2015

Monday, August 31, 2015

Monday, August 31, 2015

Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2007. My mom took this photo of the three of us while we were having lunch by the water in San Diego! As you can see Mattie was happy, creating the letter "M" with his crayons at the table, and simply full of life and energy. Sitting for a meal was a feat because we had to keep Mattie very intellectually challenged otherwise he would neither comply with sitting or eating. 


Quote of the day: As soon as anyone starts telling you to be “realistic,” cross that person off your invitation list. ~ John Eliot


In the past several days, my parents and I have gone through boxes and things that they have been storing in their home over the years. It is never easy to sort through memories and possessions. Especially when in these possessions one has items that belonged to one's mom and dad, and people who have passed away. I know this issue all too well, because when Mattie died, I just couldn't deal with addressing any of Mattie's items that were all around me. In fact, for the first month after Mattie's death we did not even live at home. We moved into our friend Ann's home. Certainly that removed us from our home and the immediate impact of the space, but we went into Ann's home with a purpose... to help her dad die. Something I knew very well how to manage and do. 

Clearing out Mattie's possessions took years! It was much easier to start with items that he got from the hospital that he never played with or touched. I had no sentimental attachment to them, and could easily donate them. But toys and especially clothes that reminded me of Mattie, I did not even go near for three years after Mattie died. I am not sure where I then got the courage to take on the sorting and cleaning possess, but I think what ultimately bothered me was I felt that Mattie's room was a mess and nothing in there truly was organized enough to celebrate his life or showcase the beautiful art pieces he created. So that inspired me. 

While sorting through items with my parents, in the midst of my grandparents items I also found things that belonged to me when I was a baby. I think if Mattie were alive, I most likely would have saved these items to show them to him and perhaps to pass them down to him and his family in the future. But when you lose your only child, you think differently. Though I am a relatively young person, my mindset in many ways is much older. I maybe sentimental about things that belong to people close to me, but I have absolutely no real interest in items that belonged to me. To me they serve no purpose, have no future value, and therefore I have no problem giving them away.  

Tonight I sign off from Los Angeles, as I am heading back to Washington, DC tomorrow!

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