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 29, 2017

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2002. Mattie was six months old and very ON! Mattie wasn't in love with his stroller. The joke about this was we literally bought and returned about three strollers, in hopes of finding the right one that would work for him. But the right one was never found. Mattie did not like being strapped into his seat, as his face clearly expressed. Can't you just feel Mattie's distaste for this stroller? The face said it all!


Quote of the day: If you seek creative ideas go walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk. Raymond I. Myers


When I became a parent, I found that I got to know my neighbors. When you live in Washington, DC, in the heart of the city, it is different from living in a suburb. Typically suburbs can unite people, based on common schools, activities, events, and neighborhoods. This isn't really true in a city. For the most part, in a city people stick to themselves. Or at least that has been my experience after living in Boston and now Washington, DC. Cities can be more transient as well, as people commute in and out of them to work, but not necessarily to plant roots. 

When Mattie was born in April of 2002, I quickly learned that Mattie seemed less cranky, less colicky, and agitated when he was outside in the fresh air. So I learned the art of being outside during all types of weather. But while walking around, we would bump into our neighbors. Mainly because we were outside so often, I watched people leaving and returning to their homes throughout the day. In fact, when Mattie was alive, this generated a lot of activity for at least our floor in the complex. People loved watching Mattie grow, smile, play, learn to ride a bicycle and the list went on. Of course when Mattie got cancer and then died, this changed our patterns and routine. We turned to living more inward and indoors. After all, there was nothing at least for me, to bring me outside to interact with my environment. 

This all changed for me in September of 2016, when we adopted Sunny. Sunny requires walks. They aren't negotiable, and it also doesn't matter what the weather is like, he has to go out. Kind of reminiscent of Mattie! Also like Mattie, Sunny has a way of receiving attention from others, and at times I feel like I am dealing with the dog version of Mattie. There are similarities despite the fact that we are comparing two different species. Sunny and Mattie share three very important qualities in common. The first is brightness/intelligence, the second is a strong connection with me, and third is filled with emotions.  

Just like with Mattie, I can tell how Sunny is feeling. Sunny is his most happy when he is out walking, exploring, sniffing, and pursuing squirrels. While out for the pursuit, I have met all sorts of people. People who probably wouldn't talk to me on the street, without having a safe subject like Sunny to talk about. Sunny is a conversation starter and I have yet in the 10 months we have owned him had a day when someone doesn't stop me on a walk to tell me how "beautiful" Sunny is, or to ask me his breed. 

Over ten months ago, I had it in my mind that we needed a dog. But it is a large responsibility and it does change your freedom and flexibility. Yet despite being cautious about our new addition, Sunny has added a dimension to our lives. Certainly so does Indie (our tortoise shell cat), but cats are very independent and require less time and attention. Typically the relationship is on the cat's terms. NOT true with a dog. Mattie always wanted a dog, and I have a feeling if Mattie met Sunny, there would be an instantaneous bond and love. 

1 comment:

Margy Jost said...

Vicki,
A beautiful post. I am so glad, I am going back over ones, I missed. I love that you listed the 3 similarities and said one is a strong connection to you. I think in general Sunny is calm but I do believe, he responds to the love, he feels coming from you. Love conquers so much but when we love deeply, we set ourself up for hurt! I ponder this fact quite a lot. Sunny is the perfect dog for you. He does need to be out and exploring. He also responds to love and you have lots to give. Sunny came to the perfect home.

I love Mattie's picture. I always loved working with children who had minds of their own. Even little, they had likes & dislikes - I admired this trait. I always wish I had known Mattie but the blog certainly gives me a good chance to know him a little