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

March 2, 2018

Friday, March 2, 2018

Friday, March 2, 2018 

Tonight's picture was taken in November of 2002. Mattie was seven months old and Peter snapped this photo of us in front of the oak tree near our home. Mattie came to greatly appreciate this oak, because when he got into his tent moth caterpillar collection phase, the leaves from this tree, were the only food the caterpillars would eat. They refused all other leaves. Then of course Mattie began to understand that the oak produced acorns. That became another collection. Mattie had various collections, but in this case he loved sharing his findings, as he typically gave people in his life an acorn gift. In fact, Mattie's occupational therapist received one acorn each week. She had quite a collection going by the end of the year! 


Quote of the day: If when I am gone thou would’st honor me then plant a tree. Some highway, bleak and bare,
Make green with Leaves.
So radiant and fair
And full of leaves my monument
will be, so ever full of tuneful melody.
My monument will be a sight most rare 
Trees planted everywhere.
A highway broad from city to the sea 
Plant this in memory of me. ~ David Wright




We are saddened as Mattie's memorial tree suffered a blow today! This is the third memorial tree that has been planted at his school, because the previous two died, and now the current tree was injured by the 60MPH winds. Needless to say this sight was truly upsetting to us, as a broken tree is not the way we wish to remember Mattie. Nonetheless, it makes us pause yet again because what are the chances that three trees can be affected within such a short period of time?
THE HISTORY OF THE TREES.............The first memorial tree was planted in 2010, and was donated to Mattie's school by his classmates. Mattie loved oak trees and particularly loved collecting acorns, which he would then give to special people in his life. Selecting an Oak to honor Mattie was an easy choice. But that tree died in 2013.





In 2013, a Yellowwood tree replaced the Oak, but the Yellowwood died too. Seeing a trend?


In 2014, another Yellowwood was planted. This was a thriving and beautiful tree that produced amazing flowers timed with Mattie's birthday. Yet today's wind, impaired the tree.


I am sure the School would like to find a way to salvage the tree. But here's the thing..... in this case, I am less concerned about the tree and more concerned about the symbolism of the tree. Which is why I feel like we need to plant a fourth tree. I do not want a broken and less than whole tree to symbolize Mattie. I am particularly sensitive to this given Mattie's battle with cancer, a cancer that left him quite disabled and disfigured. I do not want a tree that mimics what cancer did to his body. I rather see a strong, bold, and vibrant tree that represents the true Mattie.  

1 comment:

Margy Jost said...

I am so pleased as I read this blog, knowing MATTIE's TREE is being replaced with a new tree. It is disheartening, even with the knowledge, to look at all 3 trees, reading their histories, especially the 3rd tree where I have visited, see the broken tree and realize salvage was any part of an early thought. A strong tree should carry Mattie's memory & I feel grateful to an ARBORIST, I don't even know for recognizing this. I will be visiting Mattie's new tree with items that say Mattie to me.