Just Peace - A Message of Hope
By Mattie J.T. Stepanek with Jimmy CarterSubmitted by Mildred Long, October 2006
What I write can never do justice to the writing, inspirations and wisdom in this book.
Mattie Stepanek was born July 17, 1990 to his mother Jeni who had already lost three children. Not until his birth, at which time he was diagnosed as having a rare fatal disease called neuromuscular dysautonomic miloshondrial myopathy, did the doctors know from what his siblings had died. Not too long after, his mother was diagnosed with having the adult type - so had to be in a wheel chair.
In infancy, a tracheotomy was done - which was hooked up to a ventilator to breathe for him.
He was a gifted child - above average intelligence - a poet at 3 years.
Early in his life he knew that he did not have a long life span. He wanted his life to have meaning; wanted to be an ambassador for humanity, wrote many essays and speeches on that and peace. He was invited to do interviews on T.V., spoke to groups of people.
For about five years he was well enough for the tube to be removed, thus he was able
to attend school for a while - learn to swim, dive and climb, got his black belt in
a form of martial art.
He had many setbacks - confounding the doctors with his recoveries.
He continued to alert people they had choices to make - to respect each individual,
their religion.
At Mattie's funeral June 28th 2004, Jimmy Carter gave the eulogy "The Most Remarkable Person I Have Met." Oprah Winfrey also spoke. He made such an impact on the world. What a legacy.
Make peace a habit. "Peace is Possible"