The Matthew Stanford Robison Memorial is a gravesite marker located in Salt Lake City Cemetery. It was designed by Matthew Stanford Robison's father Ernest.[2] Matthew's 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]
 The grave monument for Matthew Stanford Robison[N 1] | |
 | |
| 40°46′37″N 111°51′32″W / 40.77694°N 111.85889°W | |
| Location | Salt Lake City Cemetery WEST_6_130_1W |
|---|---|
| Designer | Ernest Robison |
| Height | 9 ft (2.7 m) |
| Beginning date | February 21, 1999 |
| Completion date | 2000 |
| Dedicated to | Matthew Stanford Robison |
| Website | Ability Found Non-Profit |
Background
editMatthew Stanford Robison was born on September 23, 1988, in Salt Lake City, Utah[6] to parents Ernest and Anneke Robison.[3] Deprived of oxygen, he was not expected to live.[6] Because the boy did not get enough oxygen at birth, he was born blind and partially paralyzed. He died on February 21, 1999, at age 10.[2]
The Robisons started a Nonprofit organization called Ability Found in 1993 to help people with disabilities buy medical equipment. The non-profit helps those with Cerebral palsy, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, stroke, cancer and traumatic injuries.[3] The foundation also sells replicas of the boy's tombstone memorial.[7]
History of memorial
editIn 2000, Ernest Robison decided to make a memorial to his son. The statue on the gravesite depicts Matthew 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 it went viral. The gravesite had been a Utah tourist attraction appearing on several travel websites as a place to visit.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Our Inspiration". abilityfound.org. Ability Found. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ a b c 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. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ a b c Goldberg, Eleanor (December 6, 2017). "Tombstone That Dad Designed For Son Who Had Disabilities Captures Boy's Tenacious Spirit". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ Chakrabarti, Suchandrika (August 26, 2016). "Dad commemorates young son who died in his sleep with heartbreakingly lovely statue". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ 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. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ a b "Obituary: Matthew Stanford Robison". Deseret News Publishing Company. February 23, 1999. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ Stewart, Jessica (May 19, 2017). "Grieving Father Creates Touching Memorial for His Disabled Son". My Modern Met. Archived from the original on August 27, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ Santoro, Alessia (May 19, 2017). "A Child's Tombstone Designed by His Dad Is Going Viral". Group Nine Media Inc. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2020.