Mattie Stepanek to Appear on Oprah Winfrey Show

Oprah Winfrey sent a private jet to the East Coast today to pick up some special passengers: 11-year-old poet Mattie Stepanek and his mother, Jeni.

Mattie Stepanek and his mother, Jeni

Mattie, author of the recently released hardcover book of poetry Heartsongs, will be a guest on the episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" expected to air this Friday, Oct. 19.

Mattie and Jeni both have dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy, a rare neuromuscular disease. Mattie is the MDA Goodwill Ambassador for Maryland and appeared on the national broadcast of this year's Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon.

A poet since he learned to talk, Mattie has written hundreds of insightful, touching, upbeat, philosophical and occasionally humorous poems. Although he's had a number of serious medical difficulties in the past year, including a three-month stay in intensive care, Mattie also has seen the realization of several of his life wishes: to publish a book of poems, to chat with former President Jimmy Carter and — now — to appear on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

Members of Oprah's staff spent 11 hours at Mattie's home in Upper Marlboro, Md., on Oct. 7, taping his activities and interviewing him. When it was determined that a commercial airline couldn't accommodate Mattie's and Jeni's power wheelchairs and life support equipment, Winfrey booked a private jet and hired a nurse to accompany them on their flight to Chicago. The show will be taped Wednesday, Oct. 17.

Mattie's hardcover book was released in early October and includes a foreword by President Carter. Mattie is donating copies of his book to children of New York fire fighters who were killed in the attack on the World Trade Center. A personal friend of International Association of Fire Fighters General President Harold Schaitberger as well as many individual fire fighters through his activities for MDA, Mattie lost a number of friends in the Sept. 11 attack.

Heartsongs is available on Amazon.com, or through the publisher, VSP Books.