ifpeopleremindedyouasadeadhero,thatshowsyouarestillberememberedbythemanditprovesyouarereallydosomethingthattouchedtheirheartandspirit.Thatistherealisticsuccess.*Hopem...
MatthewJosephThaddeusStepanek(July17,1990�CJune22,2004),wasanAmericanpoet,whopublishedfivebooksofpoetryandonebookofessays.HisvolumeHeartsongsreachedTheNewYorkTimesbestsellerslist.[Healsowonnumerousawards.ShortlyafterMattie'sdeath,citizensinhisKingFarmneighborhoodofRockville,Maryland,establishedthevolunteer-based,non-profitMattieJ.T.StepanekFoundationwiththemissionofmakingMattie'smessageaccessibletoeveryone.Oandembracehis"ThreeChoicesforPeace".ThousandsofpeoplehavejoinedtheFoundationasmembersof"Mattie'sPeaceNetwork"andinsupportofthe"PathwaystoPeace"programs.In2011,theFoundationlauncheda"ForOurWorldCampaign"tohaveMattie's9/11poetrytranslatedintolanguagesforpeoplearoundtheworld.In2012,Mattie'sPeaceClub(aFoundationmembershipwithcategoriesforpeopleofallages)andaPeaceCertificationProgramwerebothlaunched.