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

October 17, 2016

Monday, October 17, 2016

Monday, October 17, 2016

Tonight's picture was taken in 2003. I am seeing this photo for the FIRST time. One of my former students, who was Mattie's first babysitter, sent this to me today in a text message. Needless to say it was a surprise. I always think that I have seen every possible photo of Mattie, but clearly that isn't the case. It meant a lot to me that she found this photo and decided to send it to me.  

You may notice that Mattie was squirming in my arms. That was NOT unusual for Mattie. He truly did not like to be confined and preferred being in control. Nonetheless, this photo was so appreciated today because it captures the essence of Mattie. 

Quote of the day: The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It’s always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it’s a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human. ~ Tahereh Mafi


Last night, through our front door, Peter captured this wonderfully full Mattie Moon. In fact, several people emailed me last night to go look at the moon. I am glad they did. 

There are many people over the course of time who have read this blog and have gotten to know Mattie through my words. A majority of my readers have never actually met Mattie. Yet for the most part, most of them know that Mattie's name in preschool was Mattie Moon. His preschool assigned a symbol to each child. The symbol had to start with the same letter as the child's name. Even when Mattie completed preschool, I always called him our Mattie Moon. Naturally now that Mattie is no longer with us, we look to the moon and always think of our boy and our connection. 


Over the weekend, the first large candy donation came in from the Luther family. One of the Luther family members works for Mars, the maker of M&Ms. So literally there were boxes and boxes of candy and adorable M&M dispensers. 

They were delivered to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital today, because I figured the candy could be used for Halloween. The Hospital hosts a LARGE Halloween party, in which the kids go trick or treating around the Hospital. This was only round one, because Georgetown will get a year's supply of candy post-Halloween. Holding onto this large donation until November made no sense, especially when tons of other candy will flow in. 

I had lunch today with my Freshman year college roommate, Leslie. After all these years, Leslie and I are still connected, and she and her family support the Foundation.

At lunch Leslie surprised me with a gift for Sunny and a gift for Indie. Both gifts were a complete hit!!!

Leslie got Sunny a large and colorful braided rope. It can be used for fetching, throwing, and dug of war. Literally as soon as Peter got home tonight, they started playing. Sunny just LOVES his new toy and was very animated and excited. 

Sunny sitting on his bed with his new toy after playing with Peter. 

1 comment:

Margy Jost said...

Mattie will always be a beautiful child. For all your friends, who knew Mattie, they saw his beautiful smile which I imagined lit up a room. Even when he was sick, I see pictures where he flashed his signature smile which is your smile, Vicki. I see it with every Mattie smile!
Your quote was so true, every word. At least, this is how I see the Moon too!
I love knowing Mattie Moon came about in preschool. I knew it was a reference, you used but did not know until now how it started! It is a beautiful reference for a beautiful child. I do, feel the moon watches over us because of its predictable presence.