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

July 9, 2017

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in July of 2007. A year before Mattie was diagnosed with cancer. He was five years old and as you can see was smiling because he was happy about his big pool that sat on our deck. I will never forget when he and Peter came back from Target with this purchase. At first my instinct was to say.... no way! But naturally I understood that Mattie need to experience fun with water. What was unusual about this photo was the fact that NONE of Mattie's toys were in the pool with him. Mattie always dumped cars, trucks, and all sorts of toys in the pool, as play time with Mattie was anything but boring. 



Quote of the day: We don't meet anyone by chance. ~ Avijeet Das


We took several walks with Sunny today. Both in Washington, DC and Alexandria, VA. Sunny gets around. It was a hot day, but that doesn't stop him. 

Near where we live, Peter snapped this photo along our walk of these incredible Black Eyed Susans. They are one of my favorites and they come back every year guiding our way home. 
Along our walk in Alexandria, we came across this vine. As we looked closer, we could see that tiny pumpkins were beginning to form. 


No matter where we walk Sunny, people always stop us to say.... "what type of dog is this?" or "what a beautiful dog" or better yet.... "can we pet your dog!!!"

I snapped this photo of the beautiful colors on display here.... coleus and begonias plants. 
Our walk by the Potomac River, was FILLED with people. They were everywhere, because it was a beautiful day out. I snapped a photo of boaters and paddle boarders. 
This is our local spray ground. It did not exist when Mattie was alive. Literally people had lawn chairs and umbrellas out today lining this fountain. Kids of all ages were running around and playing in the water. It almost looked like an urban beach!

1 comment:

Margy Jost said...

Vicki, I truly am amazed at the number of miles, you walk with Sunny! I love to walk but I often need a destination. The flowers, you photographed were beautiful. I look at flowers, differently when walking, since I met you. The Callo Lilies in our garden continue to thrive. First blooms have died & been replaced by newer ones in the center. This flower amazes me as it truly turned up unexpectedly and has made the whole garden more beautiful!

Mattie's smiles shines from any picture, you post. I love the thought of all the toys in the water with him. Kids with imagination are so fun. They create wonderful things because they have such busy minds!

I believe also, we don't meet anyone by accident. I have realized this a long time. It did not start leaving an impression until I worked Pediatric Oncology but since then there have been a handful of times that meeting someone has changed the course of my life, they way I think or helping me in coping. There is no chance involved in becoming friends with someone who changes your life for the better!