Matthew Joseph Thaddeus “Mattie” Stepanek, the courageous little boy who became a best-selling poet and advocate for muscular dystrophy awareness on network talk shows including “Oprah ...

Mattie Stepanek died in 2004 from his disease. Carter gave the 13-year-old boy's eulogy. Former US president Jimmy Carter speaks during the funeral service for Matthew "Mattie" Stepanek ...

Jeni Stepanek, the mother of young poet and peacemaker Mattie Stepanek, knew former President Jimmy Carter as few did — as a neighbor and friend. Carter died at the age of 100 on Sunday.

Jeni Stepanek sat at the front of a crowd of about 75 people in St. Francis Assisi Church in Derwood, Md., speech and microphone in hand. Behind her was a large photo of Mattie, her son who died ...