Mattie's Blog and his Fight Against Osteosarcoma

Thank you for keeping Mattie's memory alive!

Dear Mattie Blog Readers,

It means a great deal to me that you take the time to write and to share your thoughts, feelings, and reflections on Mattie's battle and death. Your messages are very meaningful and help support me through very challenging times. I am 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 have stopped writing on September 9, 2010. However, like my journey with grief there is so much that 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 me, and most importantly thank you for keeping Mattie's memory alive.

As Mattie would say, Ooga Booga (meaning, I LOVE YOU)! Vicki

September 5, 2026

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Tonight's picture was taken on Labor Day of 2008. Mattie was entering his second month on treatment. That weekend, Mattie's uncle, aunt, and cousins came to visit. This was before Mattie had any of his surgeries, so he was able to walk freely. What you can't tell was this room was the size of a postage stamp, and that blue chair you see to the left of Mattie, was what I slept in at night. If I got two hours a sleep at night, that was a lot! I look back at this photo and given that we were new to the process, we had hope that we could find a cure!

Quote of the day: Trees are as close to immortality as the rest of us ever come. ~ Karen Joy Fowle

I was determined today to visit and decorate Mattie's memorial tree at his school. Ideally I wanted to go alone, but my mom wanted to come. Which meant that I had both my mom and dad with me. I toileted my dad before we left, but no good deed goes unpunished. As my dad had a massive accident in the car and there was nothing I could about it until I was finished with the process of the tree. When my parents are with me, it is hard to focus on anything other than their needs.

This was a photo of Mattie's tree from 2018.

I decorate this tree three times a year: 1) on the anniversary of Mattie's death (September 8), 2) at Christmas time, and 3) on Mattie's birthday (April 4). We had been doing this since the original tree was planted in 2010. Mattie's memorial tree was a gift from the families of the class of 2020 (Mattie's high school graduation year). This particular photo was taken on September 8, 2018. Since Mattie's ashes are with me at home, this tree always gave us a peaceful place to reflect on Mattie and the amazing boy he was and always will be.

This tree is the FOURTH memorial tree planted for Mattie. The first one died (an oak), the second one also looked sickly (an oak), and then a third tree was planted but in a different location on the playground (a yellowwood tree). The third tree was struck by lightning and literally its trunk looked like the letter Y. So in 2018, the school's arborist (Tim) text messaged me. He told me that Mattie was sending us a message. Mattie wanted an oak tree as a memorial tree, and no tree will ever thrive if it is not an oak. Tim told me he was going to pick up a heartly white swamp oak, but instead of him planting it alone, he suggested that I gather friends for a tree planting ceremony. Great idea, but Tim only gave me 24 hours notice to make that happen. So I immediately text messaged friends and as usual they did not disappoint. Over twenty people showed up on September 8, 2018 to help dig a hole and plant this glorious tree!

I am telling you this back story, because look at how tall the tree is now (can you see my ladder.... it is tiny in comparison to the tree)! When I got to campus today, I was stunned. The tree was even larger than when I saw it in April. It is so tall, that soon I will not be able to reach the branches.

I literally snapped a photo and sent it to Tim, the arborist. I wanted him to see how it is thriving and growing over these 8 years. This is what Tim said to me...

It is incredible. It's as if the tree is in a hurry to grow up and shade the children on the playground. It's good to hear from you, God bless, and I still wear the hat you gave me and think of Mattie often. I remember when I purchased the tree at the nursery, it had an oriole nest in it. This is very distinct and not common. I took it as a sign from Mattie to select this tree. I can say it was the only oriole nest I've ever seen in a young tree at a nursery.

The tree's memorial plaque.

Every fall, I always include a sunflower themed bow! This flower reminds me of our last year together.

I wasn't sure if these photos were going to be too big for the tree, but they are perfect. I got this photo idea from walks with Sunny in Washington, DC. We always passed a house with a bush out front, decorated with small memorial photos. That vision has remained with me for years. I am not sure why I never did this before, but now anyone who passes this tree, will see that Mattie was indeed a real boy! A child who should have had his whole life ahead of him.

I snapped a few photos of the ornaments I created. Each ornament holds two photos. So when it twirls around in the wind, you will see two different photos of Mattie. So in total there are ten ornaments on the tree, highlighting 20 different moments in Mattie's life.

I absolutely LOVE this photo. We took Mattie to Meadowlark Park during Christmas time. We got to walk through the gardens and saw amazing Christmas lights. Afterwards we went inside for treats and to get warm. We both loved this frog bronze statue, so Mattie posed with it! I just think it is whimsical!