Mattie Stepanek

Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek (July 17, 1990 – June 22, 2004), known as Mattie Stepanek, was an American poet, who had six books of poetry and one book of essays all reach The New York Times bestsellers list. He became a peace advocate and motivational speaker, and lobbied on Capitol Hill on behalf of peace, people with disabilities, and children with life-threatening conditions. He has also won numerous awards.

Stepanek suffered from a rare form of muscular dystrophy, dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy, that resulted in his death a month before his 14th birthday. His sister and two brothers also died from the disease during early childhood, and his mother has the adult form, diagnosed only after all four of her children were born.