MAY 1, 2013 | GERMANY
SELTERS, Germany—Mathilde Hartl, one of Jehovah’s
Witnesses, was presented the Order of Merit on February 22, 2013, by the
Prime Minister of Bavaria, Horst Seehofer. The Order of Merit is the
highest tribute the Federal Republic of Germany awards to individuals
for services to the nation.
Ms. Hartl, who lives in Bavaria, was honored for
the long-term personal care she has provided for her disabled son
Martin, now 26 years old. As a child, he was diagnosed with Duchenne
muscular dystrophy (DMD), a disorder characterized by progressive muscle
degeneration and weakness. As a result, Ms. Hartl gets up throughout
the night to attend to his needs, which includes regularly monitoring
his breathing and clearing his airway of bronchial secretions to avoid
infection or pneumonia. Her other son, Max, also had DMD along with a
mental disability. Ms. Hartl lovingly cared for both Martin and Max for
many years. Sadly, Max died in 2008, at 19 years of age.
Asked where she gets the strength to provide such
comprehensive care, Ms. Hartl answered: “From my religious beliefs. As
one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I highly respect life. As long as I can, I
want to contribute to my son’s joy in life despite his disability.”
Prime Minister Seehofer praised Ms. Hartl and her
fellow honorees when he stated: “Every single one of you has made the
world a little bit better.”
Media Contacts:
International: J. R. Brown, Office of Public Information, tel. +1 718 560 5000
Germany: Wolfram Slupina, tel. +49 6483 41 3110
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