Cooper, Steve and baby Katie, November 2005It's been one month since Steve passed away. I miss everything about him.
His smile, his laugh, the way he would mockingly scowl
His hands, his eyebrows
The way he danced
How much he loved washing dishes
His wicked sense of humor
His patience
How he doted on our children
How he unabashedly cried out of joy or sorrow
His eclectic taste in music and literature
How he could perform the entire SNL parody song "Lazy Sunday"
His knowledge of Greek and Norse mythology
How he'd root for Michigan on football Saturdays
His meticulous record-keeping of all his practice runs
How he liked to tell people he wished his name was "Sven"
My list could go on for days.
I know I'm not alone. Feel free to list in the comments what you miss about amazing Steve.
Steve in Miami, a few years before we met
6 comments:
I miss how Steve's hair stuck straight up in the air when he first woke up in the morning -- and how he'd never bother to comb it before emerging from y'all's bedroom. He liked to say his hair "had a party" the night before.
Then when Katie came along, with her daddy's hair that sticks up the same exact way, he used to get a kick out of pointing it out and saying, "Katie, it looks like your hair had a party last night!"
That always made me giggle.
I miss Steve's unflappable faith and the way he always saw the good. I only wish I'd known him longer. I would have called him 'Sven'...GLADLY!
I miss that quick wit and dry sense of humor. You had to be on your toes when you were talking with Steve (Sven). You never knew when it might strike. I miss his incredibly positive attitude. I miss how much fun it was just to have him around.
I started thinking about what I miss ... and just turned into a big ol' blubbering mess. I'm sure all of Steve's other many friends would say exactly this -- I just miss Steve.
I recall picking him up at Children's downtown not terribly long after The Damm Spot appeared. His job evaluation had taken place that day. He was all decked out in coat and tie ... just amazingly handsome. He stood out front waiting for me and looking like he didn't have a care in the world.
He just oozed joy all the way up the Tollway as he talked about the progress he had made on behalf of the clinic over the past year and how that would help children for years to come. He was proud that his boss had recognized his accomplishments and not focused on his illness.
Today I'm also thinking of all of us who are, in effect, the "bench players" on the Tazmanian Dolphins team ... trying -- just like Tyra, Cooper and Katie -- to live "to honor Steve each day."
Thanks, Tyra, for giving us this opportunity to respond.
I miss talking to Steve each morning to find out what our day's work schedule would be.
I miss talking politics with him.
I miss drinking coffee with him.
I miss his dry sense of humor.
I miss the way he would exhale really hard when I'd make him laugh... or when he'd tell a funny story, and make himself laugh.
I miss the way he could name just about ANY song from 1986 to 1996.
I miss his contagious passion for improving the healthcare system.
I miss the way that he LOVED statistics, graphs, and EXCEL. He knew how to tell a story with numbers.
I miss the way he made me want to be a better manager, better director, better administrator, better person.
I miss the way he'd get emotional when he talked about Cooper or Katie.
I miss the way he spoke so highly of Tyra. Always.
Oh, so many things I'll miss.
Lori
I didn't Steve as long as some others here. However I still miss him a lot. I miss his politeness each time I would talk to him on the phone or see him in person. You could tell he was such a gentleman. I also miss his warmth, he would make one feel so welcome even during the times that he was sick. I recall the last time I saw him, he made it a point to shake Rahul's hand and give me a hug although so much was going on with him. He was a kind, gentle soul and the kind of person that warms your heart. I miss the time when we had first met and he would call me to give updates regarding his condition. Most of all I miss the opportunity to get to know him better and be a closer friend. I enjoy getting to know him through his family and other friends.
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