In the late 1980s, WLUP ruled the radio airwaves in Chicago. The Loop’s lineup of Jonathan Brandmeier, Kevin Matthews, Steve Dahl and Garry Meier made them more than radio stars. They attracted throngs of fans for concerts, comedy shows and other live events.

By the late 1990s, Brandmeier left for Los Angeles, and Dahl and Meier split up. Matthews, the last part of the once juggernaut, returned to his native Michigan.

Things got much worse for Matthews, though, as he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2008. Shortly after that, a broken statue took his life in many new directions — figuratively and literally. He decided to leave the statue broken to signify his brokenness and the beauty of life. Since finding the statue, Matthews has gone on a mental journey as well as many trips around the world telling his story.

This is the story of Broken Mary, a book and now a movie about Matthews. The movie had a one-day national showing a few weeks ago. At Classic Cinemas Fox Lake, where I saw it, tickets sold out weeks in advance.

The next week I attended a presentation by Matthews. With humor and humility, he recapped his climb to stardom, fall to a harsh reality and realization it’s okay to be broken. He talked about this experience leading him all over the world to tell his story. He has traveled to many places he never would have.

I briefly talked with Matthews, concentrating on his travels. We will be doing a full Talking Travel interview, with Matthews sharing stories of how the statue made him a real global traveler. Several years ago my friend Paul Myers and I interviewed Matthews about his story in his neighborhood church. Much has happened since then, and I look forward to my next interview with him.

Although the focal point is a religious icon, the message is universal. Friends with all sorts of beliefs found the book and movie powerful and uplifting.

— John Wroblewski, online writer