When parents lose their child, it`s always terrible. It was even worse for Jeni. She lost all four of her children. And the way she lost Mattie was more than horrifying.
As you have probably read the article, you know that Mattie had a 45-minute cardiac arrest in March 2004. He was in critical condition for about two months after that. In May he woke up. He was very weak, but his condition slowly improved. His mind was as strong as ever. Everything looked hopeful.
At the beginning of June, however, Mattie contracted some really bad infection. This infection completely destroyed his body. Something went wrong in the part of the brain that directs the muscles. Mattie`s muscles contracted violently and his body became contorted. His nails fell off. He almost couldn`t breathe despite being on ventilator because his muscles pushed against his lungs. Jeni has even said that his bones were breaking.
You could say to yourself: That`s why we have painkillers.
But the doctors couldn`t give Mattie painkillers. He was so weak that the painkillers would have killed him almost instantly. Giving him painkillers would have been a kind of euthanasia. So Mattie had to bear this incredible pain all by himself.
In this situation Jeni wasn`t prepared to let his son go. Some people may consider it selfish, but which parent is ready to let his/her child go? And so Jeni asked Mattie to stay for her. Mattie as an obedient and loving son couldn`t say no. In another interview Jeni has said that it was clear that Mattie was ready. It was Mattie`s incredible love and iron will that made him stay.
Finally Jeni realized that making her son suffer didn`t make any sense. She gave him a permission to die. In ten minutes Mattie died.
Correction: In this situation Jeni wasn`t prepared to let her son go.