Picture an elementary-aged boy bound to a wheelchair, breathing due to a trach, smiling up at you despite his many medical troubles, all the while talking about the choices each of us must make to promote peace. This seemingly unbelievable characterization barely scratches the surface when trying to describe Mattie Stepanek. Messenger, a book dedicated to his life and legacy written by his mother, Jeni Stepanek, shares the story of this unbelievable boy’s time here on Earth. Telling tales of his perseverance through countless close encounters with death and his never-relenting positive and peaceful spirit despite them, Jeni Stepanek gives the world a glimpse of just how extraordinary her son really was.
Mattie, the fourth child born to Jeni, suffered from Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy -- along with the rest of his brothers and sisters. In addition to a number of medical challenges as a result of the disease, Mattie struggled with his breathing for nearly his whole life. He was the only one of Jeni’s children to live past the age of four. She establishes the perilous state of his life from the moment he was born by sharing that he wasn’t ever expected to live for more than a few weeks. However, eventually developing the adult onset form of the disease herself, Jeni illuminates how her son never let it stop Mattie from fulfilling his true purpose in life: spreading messages of peace and God’s love to the world.
Jeni shares the inspiration behind her son’s development of the concept of “Heartsongs,” a term Mattie coined that represents the innermost desire of one’s heart, the meaning of their life. She shows how surprisingly perceptive her son was from a very young age, giving the following quote from Mattie about Heartsongs: “Whatever it is that a person needs or wants, they understand why that matters, and that is the unfolding of their Heartsong. When a person offers that -- what they need and want most -- to others, that is the next part of their Heartsong… And as we learn in almost every religion or philosophy of goodness, it is in giving that we receive. In sharing our Heartsong with others, it goes out into the world, and somehow, circles back to us.” (p. 64) This quote and countless other examples illustrate Mattie’s larger-than-life personality, unable to be summarized in a few words. Messenger also details his empowering friendships with a number of celebrities and public figures, including Oprah and former President Jimmy Carter.
With each turn of a page, I was further amazed by the life of such a powerful boy. With almost every odd stacked against him, Mattie Stepanek found a way to be joyful and purposeful with his life. Jeni expertly captures her son’s mature yet playful nature throughout the book, telling of not only his speeches to congressmen about peace but also his adoration for Harry Potter Lego sets. He grasps some of the most difficult and complex concepts -- death, life’s purpose, peace, and selflessness -- all before the age of 12. This book is a must-read; if it doesn’t make you cry, it’ll at least make you view the world in a different way. I am immensely inspired both by Mattie’s insightful outlook and the unbreakable bond he shared with his mom. This book teaches you the true meaning of love. Messenger has the power to impress upon all the impact just one person can have on the world, no matter what circumstances faced along the way.
Stepanek, Jennifer Smith. Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J.T. Stepanek and Heartsongs. New York: Dutton, 2009. Print.
Mattie, the fourth child born to Jeni, suffered from Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy -- along with the rest of his brothers and sisters. In addition to a number of medical challenges as a result of the disease, Mattie struggled with his breathing for nearly his whole life. He was the only one of Jeni’s children to live past the age of four. She establishes the perilous state of his life from the moment he was born by sharing that he wasn’t ever expected to live for more than a few weeks. However, eventually developing the adult onset form of the disease herself, Jeni illuminates how her son never let it stop Mattie from fulfilling his true purpose in life: spreading messages of peace and God’s love to the world.
Jeni shares the inspiration behind her son’s development of the concept of “Heartsongs,” a term Mattie coined that represents the innermost desire of one’s heart, the meaning of their life. She shows how surprisingly perceptive her son was from a very young age, giving the following quote from Mattie about Heartsongs:
“Whatever it is that a person needs or wants, they understand why that matters, and that is the unfolding of their Heartsong. When a person offers that -- what they need and want most -- to others, that is the next part of their Heartsong… And as we learn in almost every religion or philosophy of goodness, it is in giving that we receive. In sharing our Heartsong with others, it goes out into the world, and somehow, circles back to us.” (p. 64)
This quote and countless other examples illustrate Mattie’s larger-than-life personality, unable to be summarized in a few words. Messenger also details his empowering friendships with a number of celebrities and public figures, including Oprah and former President Jimmy Carter.
With each turn of a page, I was further amazed by the life of such a powerful boy. With almost every odd stacked against him, Mattie Stepanek found a way to be joyful and purposeful with his life. Jeni expertly captures her son’s mature yet playful nature throughout the book, telling of not only his speeches to congressmen about peace but also his adoration for Harry Potter Lego sets. He grasps some of the most difficult and complex concepts -- death, life’s purpose, peace, and selflessness -- all before the age of 12. This book is a must-read; if it doesn’t make you cry, it’ll at least make you view the world in a different way. I am immensely inspired both by Mattie’s insightful outlook and the unbreakable bond he shared with his mom. This book teaches you the true meaning of love. Messenger has the power to impress upon all the impact just one person can have on the world, no matter what circumstances faced along the way.
Stepanek, Jennifer Smith. Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J.T. Stepanek and
Heartsongs. New York: Dutton, 2009. Print.