Mattie Stepanek

(www,yahoo.com)

I have a hero. My hero is someone who is strong. He is someone who never let his condition be an obstacle between him and his goals. He is a tough little boy who knew exactly where he was going in life. His name is Mattie Stepanek. Mattie suffered from a hereditary disease called dysautonomic mitocondrial myopathy, a rare form of muscular dystrophy. This disease has already claimed the lives of three of his brothers and sisters.

Mattie was born in 1989. All of Mattie's brothers and sisters had the same disease as Mattie and none of them lived past four years old. Mattie wasn't even supposed to live has long has he did. The doctors told his parents that Mattie would die within the first 24 hours. At the age of 9, Mattie began home school because he couldn't really move around and do all the things the other kids did. He had to always use an extra oxygen tank. When he was either really tired or sleeping he had to use a ventilator that breaths for him. To get Mattie from place to place he has to use his power wheelchair so he saves his energy. He also uses it when he has to move his medical equipmant.

Mattie loves to read, write, and do public speaking at conferences and seminars. At the age a 3, Mattie began writing poems to try to take his mind off of his brothers death. Now he has a collection that contains thousands of poems, dozens of essays and short stories and many illustrations. He has own many awards for his writing, including the Melinda A. Lawrence International Book Award in 1999 for 'most inspirational work.'

On June 22, 2004, at the age of 13 years old, Mattie died at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington. Mattie was once asked how do you want the world to remember you? He said " as a poet, a peacemaker, and a philosopher who played. He also said when I die, have a big celebration for me." He didn't want people to cry and be depressed because of his death. He was going to be with God and that was all that mattered.

(www.yahoo.com)

A poet, a peacemaker, and a philosopher is truly what Mattie was. He achieved so much in his short lifetime. He never let his condition be an obstacle of him and his goals. He lived a good life and he did everything that he wanted to before he died. Mattie wasn't scared of dying because he knew he was going to be with God. Mattie will be missed by all who knew him and by all who loved him.