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 18, 2022

Saturday, June 18, 2022

Saturday, June 18, 2022

Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2009. Friends went to Hershey Park and came back with this big kiss pillow for Mattie. Mattie wasn't a Hershey fan, as he truly disliked all kinds of chocolate. Even the smell of it made him sick. However, the pillow was a hit, he loved the bean bag texture, and of course was a big fan of the color red. 

I always wanted to take Mattie to the Hershey Amusement Park, as he loved rollercoasters. I figured he would truly enjoy the park, and at the same time my hope was to convince him to check out the chocolate museum with me. It wasn't meant to be and to this day, I have never gone to Hershey Park. Now to me there is no reason. 


Quote of the day: Love is unselfishly choosing for another’s highest good. ~ C.S. Lewis


Peter sent me this photo this morning! In fact it was one of the first things I saw while getting myself ready for the day. This photo was taken a year ago today! We went to South Carolina and that particular day we went on a private kayak tour. It was a great experience and we had a wonderful guide. 

I look at myself in this photo, and I appear much more rested and happy. I feel like I look and feel night and day from that moment in time. It is amazing how things can change in a year. Though I learned with Mattie, life can change on a dime. Within minutes, crisis can unfold. Which is why one has to appreciate good health and living independently when has these gifts!

Here is my usual morning routine (I do this EVERY day without fail):
  • making the bed 
  • showering and dressing
  • making breakfast and vacuuming the first floor
  • waking my dad
  • showering my dad and dressing him
  • helping him downstairs for breakfast
  • starting a load of laundry
  • cleaning up breakfast
  • doing brain games with my dad
  • doing physical therapy exercises with my dad
After the usual routine, I then drove to the farmer's market with my mom. I try to get us out and about, because life with my dad is a lot like caring for a baby. He has three modes: eating, sleeping, and the bathroom. I of course try to put this all into context, but it is very upsetting that he has no interests. It is also very isolating! He doesn't want to engage with the world or do anything other than sleep. 

While I was at the farmer's market, Peter was planting roses. There was a flower bed in our backyard that truly was a mess. Things were planted on top of each other and the plants chosen looked like weeds. Peter corrected the problem and now I feel like this pop of color will truly make the yard look botanical!


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