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

June 12, 2016

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Tonight's picture was taken in May of 2007. Mattie was ALL dressed up and ready for his first day of summer camp at his preschool, Resurrection Children's Center. Mattie LOVED their summer camp because he had the opportunity to play in sand and water, not to mention be involved in all sorts of activities. These were NOT high tech activities or even activities that required a lot of equipment. But more thoughtful and creative activities. Mattie gravitated to them! Mattie may have gone in the morning clean.... but by the end of camp, he was a total mess. Clearly loving every minute!



Quote of the day: All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind. Martin H. Fischer

I had the opportunity today to visit Mattie's preschool for the LAST TIME! Resurrection Children's Center is closing its doors and merging with Fairlington Preschool in Alexandria, VA in the Fall. There was a good-bye party at the school for current families and alums. I haven't been back to the school for years. But as soon as I walked through the doors, I met up with John, who was a student in two of Mattie's preschool classes. John and his family attend our Foundation walks and he was sharing with me memories he had of the school and Mattie. Mind you he was a little guy when he was in preschool and he doesn't see me often now, but yet he still feels close to me. 

Mattie's preschool was a cooperative school, which means that parents MUST play a role in helping out in the classroom and participating in school events. Back then I must have visited the classroom once every two months, and through that, got to know the kids in Mattie's classrooms. John and I connected from that very first day of school. Interesting no? But what is more fascinating is this connection continues, which is interesting since he was really SO young back then and his memory hadn't truly formed. 

Resurrection Children's Center is where Mattie made his first friends and I developed life long connections with moms who are devoted to helping me keep Mattie's memory alive. This is a school never to be forgotten.... because it wasn't only an enriching and loving environment, but a place where we learned to appreciate the best in our children and in ourselves.


I had the honor of meeting the FOUNDERS of the preschool today and to thank them personally.

From left to right are Gwen and Jim Anderson and Janet Chitwood.


In fact, Janet's son, Danny, is the reason why the preschool was created. Danny has special needs and Janet felt there wasn't a preschool in her community that was prepared and equipt to handle his needs. So she reached out to her friend the Andersons and together they developed Resurrection Children's Center (RCC). In each of the four RCC classrooms, 20% of the children have a special need. The beauty of this is by being inclusive, both the children with special needs and typically developing children can learn from each other. 

This was Mattie's first preschool classroom, where Margaret (his head teacher) taught Mattie. Mattie entered preschool being very shy, hesitant, and timid. With the nurturing and guidance of both Margaret and Lana (assistant teacher), Mattie grew into the person he was meant to be. I find it ironic that ALL the moms I met in this classroom, I remain friends with TODAY! That is how special a classroom it was.
Today was my first time seeing this plague! Mattie's name is on the top row, second from the left. This plague acknowledges children at graduation from preschool.
This is a photo of Mattie's second preschool classroom. The room was called the Block Room. It is the room where Kathy and Marilyn taught Mattie. I shall never forget the energy and activity of this room! In fact during Mattie's first year of preschool he AVOIDED this room. It was overwhelming to him. He was intimated by all the noise and energy coming from the room. By his second year, with coaching from Kathy, this ALL changed! Mattie was a key player in generating ideas and building projects in the room.


The Doanes, Bowers, and Putnams! Mattie went to school with the children in all three of these families.
Vicki with Mary and her loving family. Mary is the assistant director of the preschool and our friend.
My friend Catherine, her daughter Sara Catherine (who was in Mattie's preschool classes), and the school's occupational therapist (Deb).
This is Margaret's daughter, Ali, and her beautiful family!
Mattie's preschool teachers, Marilyn and Kathy! They are the ultimate Lucy and Ethel (from I Love Lucy) duo!
Vicki and Kim. Kim has been Resurrection Children's Center's Director for as long as I can remember. In a way the school was her third baby. She worked tirelessly at making it the special place we all came to love and cherish.
The amazing teachers and staff at Resurrection Children's Center.


This photo of a stunning orange rose is featured in the preschool's hallway. It is called Margaret's rose, because it was a photo captured in Margaret's garden. Margaret was Mattie's first preschool teacher and my close friend. Margaret died two years ago, at an early age, from ALS. I was thrilled to see her memory captured in the school she loved so much.
Vicki and Kathy! Kathy is a dynamo and Mattie thrived leaps and bounds in Kathy's classroom.
Mattie's friend, Sara Catherine, and her mom with our dear teacher, Kathy!

1 comment:

Margy Jost said...

Vicki,
Thank you for an excellent walk through Mattie's preschool. To realize, the school was for kids with special needs integrated into preschool classes warms my heart. Everyone of you pictures and explanations was so informative. Many people don't realize that preschool with a loving environment that promotes creativity and being yourself are very positive steps towards finding happiness in learning and going to school. I am glad Mattie went there and your experience at RCC was so positive and loving.

You know I love the pictures, you post of Mattie. The one you posted tonight is among my favorites!!!!