Peaceful Hearts Foundation was started by Matthew Sandusky and his wife Kim. The name of the organization was chosen based on a story Matthew once heard titled, “The real meaning of peace”. The story goes like this: There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them. One pictu
re was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest - in perfect peace.Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?"Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."
--- Author Unknown
In 2011 and 2012, as the world tuned into the news for updates on the "Sandusky Scandal", our family sat in the epicenter of the storm. Matt and Kim were engaged to be married when their worlds were turned upside down. In November of 2011, Matt's adoptive father, Jerry Sandusky, was arrested for sexually assaulting at least ten young boys. Many months and incredible amounts of soul searching, strength, and courage led Matt to contact authorities about the abuse that he had suffered at the hands of his adopted father. The storm that followed would be one that Matt and his family could never have imagined or prepared for. From personal pain and heartache to healing, Peaceful Hearts Foundation was created. Our goal is to create an environment where survivors and loved ones can come together to share their experiences and receive love, help, and support, unconditionally. It’s amazing what we can do when we come together. If we are truly going to make a society safe for survivors, it’s going to take a lot of courage and cooperation. Will you join us in making this important change?
