July 14, 2006
Yesterday the world lost a wonderful man, a bride lost her groom, my brother lost his best friend, and I lost a surrogate brother. Loss of life is never easy to take. But loss of a life with so much to look forward to is even harder. Steven Bates was 54 years old and had finally found love, for the first time ever. He married his high school love only eight short months ago. The majority of their marriage was spent with Steve in the hospital.
Most women would have never married a man as ill as he was, but for Marge, all she saw was the man she'd always loved and lost. Together they were happier than any couple I've ever seen. Looking at them made you believe that life was fair, that good triumphed over evil. Steven Bates died peacefully. His family and best friend at his side.
I will never forget Steve. He was always there for the people he cared about. Often giving money or gifts when he needed it so desperately himself. But that was Steve, generous to a fault. I pray for his wife Marge. Losing someone you love is never easy, but when you've had such a brief time together it's always worse. Steve's memory will live on in those he loved and left behind.
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