Matthew J.T. Stepanek, best known as "Mattie," wrote poetry and short stories since the age of three. His first five books of poetry are titled Heartsongs, Journey Through Heartsongs, Hope Through Heartsongs, Celebrate Through Heartsongs and Loving Through Heartsongs. Mattie was a frequent public speaker who has appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America, and Larry King and has had his poetry published in newspapers and magazines nationwide. In 2002, Mattie was awarded the Children's Hope Medal of Honor, the Verizon Courage Award, and the Humanitarian Award from the Pediatric Nursing Society of America. He also received the Freddie Award for his public speaking and advocacy related to muscular dystrophy and Children's Hospice. Mattie served as the Maryland State Goodwill Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, as well as the National Goodwill Ambassador for 2002 and 2003. Mattie passed away in 2004 and is survived by his mother, Jeni Stepanek.
"The author, not yet a teenager, is a poet whose inspirational
words arise from his longstanding struggle with a rare form of
muscular dystrophy. Hearing him read his poems and connecting with
his view of the world will be quite an experience for many
listeners. You hear, not a struggling child, but a young adult,
seasoned by having to contemplate an existence founded on pain,
dysfunction, and a limited future. He reads naturally, and the two
audios will make many parents take another look at the way children
experience the world and what kinds of childhood problems are
really worth worrying about."
T.W. (c) AudioFile Portland, Maine
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