In a Salt Lake City cemetery, there is a headstone that stops visitors in their tracks. It’s not a sight of sorrow, but one of breathtaking hope. This is Matthew’s Tombstone, and it doesn’t show a boy in grief; it shows a boy victorious. The incredible sculpture depicts a young boy rising up out of his wheelchair, his arms lifted joyfully to the sky, his face free and full of light. It’s one of the most powerful stories you will ever see, a testament to a short life that continues to inspire, and a father’s love etched forever in stone.
A Life of Eleven Years
The boy’s name was Matthew Stanford Robison. When he was born in 1988, complications at birth left him deprived of oxygen for too long. His parents, Ernest and Anneke, were given a devastating prognosis: their newborn son might only live for a few hours.
But Matthew was a fighter. He lived for eleven years.
His life was not easy. He was blind, mostly paralyzed, and could only speak a few words. Yet, his father said he had a quiet, peaceful spirit that “changed lives.” For most of his childhood, Matthew’s world was his wheelchair. But even in that chair, he smiled, he listened, and he was the heartbeat of his family.
A Father’s Vision of Freedom
When Matthew passed away in 1999, his father, Ernest, wanted to create a memorial that was special. He didn’t want a somber grave marker that focused on his son’s limitations. He wanted to celebrate his son’s release and his spirit’s freedom. Ernest designed the headstone himself, imagining the very moment Matthew’s soul was freed from his earthly body. The stunning sculpture is that exact moment, frozen in time: Matthew, finally standing, lifting himself joyfully toward heaven.
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A Legacy of Hope
The inscription on the tombstone reads, “Confined to the chair most of his young life, he is now free of earthly burdens.” This message of hope, rather than sadness, inspired the Robisons to help others facing similar challenges. They founded a non-profit organization called Ability Found.
Inspired by their son, the foundation is dedicated to helping people with disabilities get the expensive equipment they need—like wheelchairs, walkers, and lifts—to live fuller, more independent lives. While many wonderful stories exist of people rescuing animals, the Robisons dedicated their lives to rescuing the mobility and dignity of people.
A Place of Happiness
Today, more than 25 years later, people from all over the world still visit Matthew’s Tombstone. They leave small toys and messages, but mostly, they leave feeling inspired, not sad. Ernest Robison said he wanted the grave to be a “place of happiness,” and he succeeded.
Matthew’s Tombstone is a powerful, physical reminder that a life doesn’t have to be long to be meaningful, and that a father’s love can turn one of the most painful stories into a beautiful, enduring symbol of hope.
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