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

December 10, 2018

Monday, December 10, 2018

Monday, December 10, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2009. Mattie loved his frog sandbox. Though we were cautioned about exposing Mattie to water and sand (because Mattie wore a broviac catheter -- tubes that came out of his chest to administer medications), we felt it was important for him to be able to do the activities he loved. We always monitored him and fortunately for us, Mattie was very responsible regarding this catheter. Mattie kept his sand toys in this box at all times, and playing in the sandbox was NOT season specific. Prior to cancer, Mattie spent time in the sandbox even in the winter. I remember a few times, we literally brought a space heater outside on the deck to manage the cold. 


Quote of the day: When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it is attached to the rest of the world. ~ John Muir 


You will see I have posted many photos tonight of Mattie in his frog sandbox. Why? Well yesterday Mattie Miracle received a donation from Dallas, TX. When I emailed the donor to thank her, I asked her how she learned about Mattie Miracle. I wouldn't have expected the answer I received in a thousand years!!! She learned about us through MATTIE'S SANDBOX!!!!!

Here is what our donor wrote to me (naturally I have concealed some personal data.......................................................

We were neighbors. We have twin boys who are now getting close to 8 years old, but they were about 3 1/2 when we moved to Dallas. You used to let them play in Mattie's old sandbox in the commons area.  

For Chanukah this year, I wanted to work with the kids on picking a charity to donate to each of the 8 nights, so that the holiday wasn't just about getting stuff. Tonight is the last night, and I opened up a photo book from our DC time, and asked them if they remembered getting to play in the sandbox, and then I told them about Mattie and how nice it was that Mattie's parents let them play in the sandbox, and so for our donation tonight, maybe we should give to Mattie's foundation - they liked that idea :)

I wish I could say I remember this donor and her boys. There are so many families who use Mattie's sandbox over these past 9 years. After Mattie died in 2009, I was mortified in the beginning when I saw other children in the box. But as the years have gone by, I realize seeing Mattie's box being used is another way to keep his legacy alive. As his box brings happiness to our neighbors. 









As I told this donor.....It means a lot that on the last night of Chanukah, you thought about Mattie and recounted his life and our Foundation to your boys. As we feel it is very important to bring Mattie's life and his legacy to the next generation. Please let your boys know how much this donation means to us. All the funds we raise go directly to helping children with cancer, as we help over 3,000 children a year. 





The blog captures Mattie's cancer journey, but it also memorializes how Peter and I survive this ultimate loss for a parent. As I read the blog over these past 9 years, I can see the evolution in my thinking (on some things). For instance with this sandbox, I went from protecting the box from others because I did not want anyone else touching something Mattie loved so much, to now being open to any little person playing in the box. I know now that whether someone plays or touches the box, it doesn't harm my memory of our time together with this box, nor does it disrespect Mattie's life in any way. On the contrary, his love for the box continues on in our commons area, and in the spring, when I have my windows open, I can hear excitement, laughter, and joy that our neighbors' children have playing in the box. All sounds that remind me of my days outside with Mattie.  

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