Matthew Stanford Robison Memorial

The Matthew Stanford Robison Memorial is a gravesite marker located in Salt Lake City Cemetery. It was designed by 10 year old Matthew Stanford Robison's father Ernest Robison.[2] Matthews parents decided to make his gravesite a place of joy and inspiration.[3] The memorial depicts a boy standing up from his wheelchair and raising his left hand toward the sky.[4][5]

Matthew Stanford Robison Memorial
The grave monument for Matthew Stanford Robison[N 1]
Location in Utah
Matthew Stanford Robison Memorial (the United States)
Coordinates40°46′37″N 111°51′32″W
LocationSalt Lake City Cemetery WEST_6_130_1W
DesignerErnest Robison
Height9 ft (2.7 m)
Beginning date21 February 1999
Completion date2000
Dedicated toMatthew Stanford Robison
WebsiteAbility Fund Non-Profit

Background

Matthew Stanford Robison was born with disabilities on September 23, 1988 in Salt Lake City, Utah[6] to parents Ernest and Anneke Robison.[3] He was not expected to live.[6] The boy did not get enough oxygen at birth and was blind and partially paralyzed, he lived ten years.[2]

The Robisons started a Nonprofit organization called The Ability Fund in 1993, to help people with disabilities buy equipment. The non-profit helps those with Cerebral palsy, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, stroke, cancer and traumatic injuries.[3] The foundation sells replicas of the boy's tombstone memorial.[7]

Mathhew's father decided to make a memorial to his son in 2000. The statue on the gravesite depicts Matthew Stanford Robison rising up out of his wheelchair and reaching skyward. The memorial is meant to depict the child in the afterlife free from his earthly afflictions.[2] A photo of the memorial and part of the obituary was shared on Reddit and went viral. The gravesite had been a Utah tourist attraction appearing on several travel websites as a place to visit.[8]

See also

References
  1. "Our Inspiration". abilityfound.org. Ability Found. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  2. Belletti, Paola (March 5, 2020). "Matthew: a disabled child who gave love and joy while alive and continues to do so from Heaven!". Aleteia SAS. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  3. Goldberg, Eleanor (December 6, 2017). "Tombstone That Dad Designed For Son Who Had Disabilities Captures Boy's Tenacious Spirit". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  4. Chakrabarti, Suchandrika (August 26, 2016). "Dad commemorates young son who died in his sleep with heartbreakingly lovely statue". Daily Mirror. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  5. Hansol, Kim (May 3, 2020). "A Statue Made by a Mother and Dad for an 11 year-old son who has died in a wheelchair for the rest of his life". Insight. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  6. "Obituary: Matthew Stanford Robison". Deseret News Publishing Company. February 23, 1999. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  7. Stewart, Jessica (May 19, 2017). "Grieving Father Creates Touching Memorial for His Disabled Son". My Modern Met. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  8. Santoro, Alessia (May 19, 2017). "A Child's Tombstone Designed by His Dad Is Going Viral". Group Nine Media Inc. Retrieved October 4, 2020.

Notes
  1. Inscription on the back of the memorial: "In memory of those who walk more closely in the hands of God And who more humbly the world inspiring the hearts of men With their legacy complete In love, they return home again to God To behold his face and be wholly healed In joy forever more."[1]
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.