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A Portrait through Heartsongs.
Photo Courtesy of Jim Hawkins

” All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.” - Abraham Lincoln

Despite having been confronted with unfathomable tribulations, Jeni Stepanek continues to face life with unwavering courage, selfless love, and boundless devotion.

She mothered poet and peacemaker, Mattie Stepanek, with the dedication of a guardian angel – bravely protecting him, nurturing him, guiding his physical, emotional and intellectual path, cultivating his poetic talents, and most of all, being his best friend.

Yet, despite her beautiful relationship with Mattie, Jeni’s experience with motherhood has also taken her to the furthest depths of sorrow.

Sandy and I played tennis, we went roller skating, and I now share a house with this woman who helps me with personal care. Become a part of your family life. They will engage in conflict, they will disagree, but I feel very confident that those 117 teens that have come through our Just Peace program will reflect on an I AM statement, will reflect on their three choices for peace ,and will understand that peace is not a project.

that our collective message could be one of hope, or peace or of life or something good.

My other children didn't live the heroic life that becomes book material, they didn't live long enough. Could you tell us about that?

 

Beach chair philosopher: think about it. I was one of thirty young people chosen from around the world who lived and worked with the goal of bringing peace to the world by first addressing human being's basic needs.

You look at every person, past present and future. We need to find a way to make peace, just simply, how we think. Her specialty areas range from trauma and resiliency, low incidence disabilities and psychosocial care to hope, spirituality and community-building.

Well-known as “Mattie’s mom” – Jeni is the parent of the late teen poet and Heartsongs peace ambassador Mattie Stepanek – she has three other amazing children who also died young due to neuromuscular disease, a rare genetic condition she unknowingly passed on and was diagnosed with later as an adult.

As Mattie had requested, Jeni compiled and published a collection of his final writings and poems from his journals which she entitled Reflections of a Peacemaker. You share about the things that matter, to try to inspire other people to think about the things that matter. 

 

I think if we each made reflecting on what matters a part of our daily life, it would make life easier to move through.

The more people each of you touch, the more that reality grows in our world, and that's why I say peace is possible.