Messenger, by Jeni Stepanek

Perhaps you remember Mattie Stepanek.  He was in the news quite a bit 10-15 years ago, a cute little blond boy with glasses, dying of an incurable disease, yet making the most of every moment.  He provided inspiration for many as his indomitable spirit and electric personality drew people to him.  He considered himself a messenger of peace and love, and his mother tells the story of his message in Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J.T. Stepanek and Heartsongs.

In spite of his suffering from a rare disorder that caused him to be sicker and sicker throughout his life, dependent on oxygen tanks to live and a wheelchair to get around, Mattie's positive outlook and never-ending inner strength inspired celebrities like Oprah, Larry King, Maya Angelou, Sean Astin, Jimmy Carter, and others who became his friends and mentors.  He wrote several books of poetry which made the best-seller lists, and gave inspirational speeches around the country.  He accomplished more and had a greater impact in his short years (he died before his 14th birthday) than most of us would dream of doing in a lifetime.

Besides his remarkable spirit, his mother's remarkable commitment as a mother stands out, as well.  She suffers from a similar condition, and in fact buried three other children who died as a result of the same condition.  The two of them, scraping by financially (She was in graduate school, and she and her husband had divorced.  She says little about him; I couldn't help but wonder what happened and why he, apparently, provided not a dime of support.) and both of them with high-maintenance medical issues, must have been quite the pair.

This is a sweet story of a great kid and his terrific mom.  But here's where I have to enter some criticism.  First, the story got kind of dull.  In her introduction, she talks about the volumes she could write about Mattie.  Of course she can; she's his mom and is crazy about him.  Would that every parent felt that way about their kids.  But the story just drags at times.  Second, his message of peace and love never seemed to me to be very impressive.  He impressed Jimmy Carter and other world leaders with his message, so there must have been something here.  It just didn't come through for me in the book.  (Of course, I'm not sure anyone every accused Carter of being a genius. . . . .)

I was troubled by his theology, too.  The Stepanek's are faithful Catholics, but I think his priest should have had some talks with him: "Being a good person, [Mattie] said, was what mattered most. . . . The way he saw it, God doesn't fault you for [not embracing religion] when you die if you've lived a life of goodness."  Just the sort of weak spirituality people like Oprah love.

Finally, I have not read his books of poetry, but if the poetry Dr. Stepanek includes in Messenger is indicative of his work, I'm not very impressed.  Surely well above average for a kid his age, but NYT best-seller list good?  It's seems that it's good because of the person behind it, not because of any intrinsic literary value.

Those criticisms aside, there's plenty in Messenger and in Mattie's life to inspire even a curmudgeon like me.  His is a life worth remembering.