Look back: 25 great 'Oprah' moments

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Oprah WinfreyLiberace's last TV appearance (1986)Racism in Forsyth County (1987)Oprah sheds light on the AIDS crisis (1987)'Diet Dreams Come True' (1988)Michael Jackson interview (1993)Oprah's Book Club launches (1996)Oprah's mad cow problem (1996)Ellen DeGeneres comes out as a lesbian (1997)Oprah and Dr. Phil (1998)The Mattie Stepanek interview (2001)Oprah's 'Favorite Things' episode (2002)Oprah and Dr. Oz (2004)The brand-new car giveaway (2004)Tom Cruise loves Katie Holmes (2005)Tracey Gold comes clean (2005)Oprah Winfrey endorses Barack Obama (2006)James Frey is in the hot seat (2006)Roadtrip! (2006)Oprah reveals 'The Secret' (2007)Tommy Hilfiger and the racist rumor (2007)Pregnant man Thomas Beatie (2008)Mackenzie Phillips talks about incestuous relationship (2009)Surprise flash mob featuring the Black Eyed Peas (2009)Sarah Palin visits Oprah (2009)Sarah Ferguson opens up about bribery scandal (2010)

Mattie Stepanek wasn't predicted to live much longer than a day, if even a day. Born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, Stepanek, however, nearly lived to the age of 14, and inspired millions before his 2004 death. Just years before, Stepanek appeared alongside Oprah, and let the world in on his poetry, which he had been writing since the age of 3. His poems, dubbed "Heartsongs," resulted in numerous bestsellers, and in 2002 he was named the Muscular Dystrophy Assn.'s National Goodwill Ambassador.

The Mattie Stepanek interview (2001)

( Susan Biddle / Washington Post )

Mattie Stepanek wasn't predicted to live much longer than a day, if even a day. Born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, Stepanek, however, nearly lived to the age of 14, and inspired millions before his 2004 death. Just years before, Stepanek appeared alongside Oprah, and let the world in on his poetry, which he had been writing since the age of 3. His poems, dubbed "Heartsongs," resulted in numerous bestsellers, and in 2002 he was named the Muscular Dystrophy Assn.'s National Goodwill Ambassador.

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