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

February 19, 2017

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2003, during Mattie's first birthday party! I think Mattie was born ON! In fact my joke was he had two speeds.... on and off and nothing in between. Mattie did not quite understand the whole notion of a birthday party, but we decorated everything with Mattie's favorite character.... ELMO and invited family over. I had games for all the kids and Mattie observed everything. However, I would say because of Mattie's sensory issues, the noise from the party was overwhelming for him. I remember he and I retreated upstairs several times away from everyone because Mattie was truly upset and crying. Of course by year two, Mattie fully understood the notion of a party and was excited to be a part of it. 


Quote of the day: The day my son was born my life changed completely. ~ Treat Williams


This afternoon, Peter and I attended our God Daughter, Charlotte's first birthday party. I am sure it is very natural for most parents attending such an event to reflect on their child's first birthday! It is not unlike going to a wedding... you observe and celebrate the couple before you, but you also reflect upon your own marriage. So all I can say is this party brought up lots of thoughts, memories, and feelings tonight. 

Peter and I spent a lot of time holding Charlotte at the party. I snapped this photo of Peter with her. Peter is very good at entertaining little ones. Much better than me. I prefer truly working with talking beings. But Charlotte is a cutie and so calm, patient, and good mannered. 
Charlotte cooperated through LOTS of pictures. Practically everyone at the party had their photo taken with Charlotte, and she managed through each photo. I can assure you, this wouldn't have been Mattie's cup of tea. 
Me with Charlotte. 

During the party, I started talking to a woman whose husband is dying from cancer. She was getting ready to retire so they both could spend their future together, but of course she never planned for cancer severing that plan. I listened to her story and shared my thoughts, but never told her about Mattie. I find hearing about someone else's loss while experiencing your own.... NOT HELPFUL at all. 

Nonetheless, how does it feel for me to lose my only child to cancer and then attend a one year old birthday party today? If I said it was easy, I would be lying. I try to be happy for the proud and happy parents, but of course a part of me says..... I was in their same shoes at one time and then my world came crashing down. I don't understand and most likely never will why some children are chosen to get cancer and die. 


1 comment:

Margy Jost said...

Vicki, While I have not lost a child to cancer, I reflect often why a child gets cancer & dies and others don't. Why does so much good with very little unhappiness find its way to other people while many experience the exact opposite. Of course, I have no answer yet, I frequently ask the question to myself because the unfairness is so striking.
I believe attending events like this are hard. The little girl is beautiful. Being asked to be a godparent is such an honor, yet hard at the same time most probably hard for you! It must be impossible in most daily encounters to think how different life would be if Mattie had lived and not suffered terribly before Cancer took his life. You & Peter live with the loss of Mattie and all the months of treatment before he died. The pictures of you & Peter with this little girl are lovely.

Thanks for posting Mattie's picture with Peter. Your quote and this picture are one of several reasons, your blog means lot to me✨