Graphic novelist and organic farmer Mario DeMatteo

Undaunted by a catastrophic injury, Mario DeMatteo has carved a place for himself as a graphic novelist and organic farmer in no small part because of his faith.

Mario DeMatteo is the founder of Beartruth Books, a Christian comic-book ministry, and the co-founder of the Agrarian Institute, a nonprofit educational farm in Bonsall, California.

He also uses a wheelchair, after suffering a spinal cord injury in a swimming pool accident at age 20.

DeMatteo, who lives in Carlsbad, California, with his wife, Karla Cordero, talks to Fra Noi about his passion for comic books, his efforts to make healthy food accessible to all, and his belief that God has a plan for everyone, no matter what tragedies one may face.

Elena Ferrarin: What was your childhood like, and how much did you identify with your Italian background?

Mario DeMatteo: I grew up in San Diego and I had an amazing childhood. I spent a lot of time at the beach and played competitive soccer. My dad is 100% Italian and my mom is 50% Italian and 50% German. My parents would make amazing Italian dishes: My favorite was my dad’s baked macaroni or chicken cacciatore. I have a lot of great memories with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin playing in the background, and of my grandfather, John Ghiorso, telling stories of his father coming to America and starting one of the first garbage-collection businesses in San Francisco in the early 1900s.

EF: You have bachelor’s and master’s degrees in comparative literature and creative writing. Where does that passion come from and how did it develop in your youth?

MD: I fell in love with writing stories in middle school when we were asked to write creative stories. I always loved coming up with wild ideas. I also started writing poetry for girls I had crushes on in junior high and high school. Years later, I met my wife, Karla, in a poetry club in college.

EF: You were paralyzed at age 20 when diving into a shallow pool. What do you remember of that day?

MD: We were on a surf trip in Costa Rica and went on a long hike up into the jungle to visit a waterfall. We got home late at night and went to the only hotel that was still serving food. It was dark, and I made the tragic mistake of diving into a dark pool. I remember hitting the bottom and knowing immediately that I was paralyzed. My friend pulled me out — he had just learned CPR and brought me back to life. I woke up in my hospital room in Costa Rica with a young nurse holding my hand, praying for me in Spanish. I knew that God was by my side, no matter how difficult the future would be.

EF: What was your emotional and physical recovery like?

MD: In the beginning, I dealt with a lot of depression and sadness and loneliness. But as the years progressed, I was able to find things that I fell in love with that gave me purpose. Writing stories and poems. Growing food in my backyard. Going on adventures to Italy with my family. Life has definitely not been the same since my accident, but it has still been an amazing 20 years in a wheelchair. I believe that God has plans for my life. I believe he has plans for all our lives.

EF: At some point, you figured out how to live your new life with the assistance of a wheelchair. What made that possible?

MD: It’s been a long journey of learning how to be comfortable in my new life. I have been really fortunate to have a group of family and friends, and my wife, that have made life significantly easier in dealing with something that is so traumatic. Time plays a big role, too. Now I am used to a lot of the daily struggles that I have to deal with. When I first got injured, I was really lucky to go to a rehab center specifically for people with spinal cord injury. Being around guys and girls, and even young kids, in a wheelchair was really inspirational.

EF: Why did you create Beartruth?

MD: In the early years of my accident, I fell in love with comic books and graphic novels. In college I decided to go for it with the idea of adapting the story of Paul the Apostle into a “Star Wars”-esque graphic novel for kids. I had studied how impactful graphic novels are as an educational tool for young kids. When I finally committed to making a graphic novel, a lot of doors started opening. I met mentors that taught me how to put together a team and direct a project to completion.

EF: Do you write and/or illustrate the comic books?

MD: While I love to draw and I am an artist, I work with people who are way better than me at drawing. My role is to write or co-write the script, and then direct the project as an art director and producer. I usually have a pretty clear vision of what I’d like to see, and have been really fortunate to work with amazing artists who’ve been able to bring my vision to life in a truly collaborative effort.

EF: Do you have a favorite comic book that you have created?

MD: We were extremely blessed to work on the official graphic-novel adaptation of the famous World War II memoir by Corrie ten Boom, titled “The Hiding Place: A Graphic Novel.” Corrie and her family saved over 1,000 Jewish people from the Nazis by smuggling them out of Holland and hiding them in their clock shop. It is an amazing story of courage and faith.

EF: In 2022, you founded the Agrarian Institute to help people, particularly those facing homelessness and food insecurity, have access to healthy and organic food. What role did the COVID-19 pandemic play into that decision?

MD: COVID exposed a lot of vulnerabilities in our food system across the country. In our hometown, we started seeing empty shelves. There wasn’t as easy access to food, and it hit families in need the hardest. We feel called to play our small part in growing food for families in need.

EF: How does the Agrarian Institute grow and make food accessible to others?

MD: We grow vegetables and fruit on a 1-acre piece of land using organic regenerative farming practices that produce the most nutrient-dense food available. We donate our food to Operation HOPE, a local homeless shelter and community food pantry. In the past two years, we have grown over 8,000 pounds.

EF: What are your plans for the future?

MD: I plan to keep being creative and making books that have an impact on kids’ lives. I am also involved in a berry farm operating on the same property as our nonprofit. Our dream for Bonsall Berry Farm is to create a place where families can come and pick berries with their kids, experience the great outdoors, pet farm animals and just have an amazing time. That will be a bigger project on about 10 acres of land. We have big dreams for both farms to make an impact in our local food system.

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The above appears in the August 2024 issue of the print version of Fra Noi. Our gorgeous, monthly magazine contains a veritable feast of news and views, profiles and features, entertainment and culture. To subscribe, click here.