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Every time I saw
Matthew (Mattie) Stepanek he made me smile. I wanted to be around
him and hear what he had to say. A few years ago, I met Mattie at a
book signing in College Park, MD - not for one of his books, but for Dr.
Maya Angelou. After standing in a line that wrapped around the
corner and down the street, I caught a brief glimpse of Dr. Angelou as I
was rushed in and out of the tiny bookstore.
As I was leaving, I noticed a crowd gathering outside
the store in the parking lot. I soon realized that Mattie Stepanek
and his mother were surrounded by a group of fans who recognized him as
the boy from Oprah. Mattie seemed quite surprised by the crowd
around him because, as he explained, he was there to see his idol, Dr. Maya
Angelou.
That night, Mattie Stepanek was just a
pre-teen who wanted to see a famous writer and maybe get some pointers for
his poetry. However, it is impossible to come in contact with Mattie
and not realize that God was using him to spread a message of tolerance,
understanding and love.
Mattie Stepanek became the
literal "poster child" for the Muscular Dystrophy Association,
putting a cheerful and determined face on a disability that has motivated
the Jerry Lewis Telethon for years. In honor of Mattie Stepanek, SilverSpringCenter.com is
making a contribution to the Muscular
Dystrophy Association Mattie Fund for medical research to
help find treatments and cures for childhood neuromuscular diseases.
To make a contribution or for more information on muscular dystrophy
diseases, please visit
Muscular
Dystrophy Association . To
read some of Mattie Stepanek's poems, visit the Muscular
Dystrophy Association's website. |
