Thirteen years after his passing, poet Mattie Stepanek continues to be celebrated in Rockville. Former President Jimmy Carter, during Mattie’s funeral on June 28, 2004, described him as “the most extraordinary person” he had ever known. Oprah Winfrey, another admirer, called him one of her favorite guests. Mattie and Carter collaborated on the book “Just Peace: A Message of Hope,” one of seven books by Mattie that became New York Times bestsellers.
Despite his short life, Mattie Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek made a significant impact. He fought against dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy, a rare form of muscular dystrophy, which also affected his siblings, Katie, Stevie, and Jamie. Their mother, Jeni Stepanek, was diagnosed with the same disease after their births.
Typically, Mattie’s Peace Day is observed around his birthday on July 17. This year, the event was rescheduled to September 22 due to extreme heat. Jeni Stepanek, PhD, affectionately known as “Mama Peace,” spoke to WTOP from the park named in honor of her son in the King Farm neighborhood of Rockville.
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