It's been a joy working with Bill Sever who has spent
many hours putting the reunion website together. But, he ets all the fun, he's
spoken with over 95 of us.
I reside in Coeur d'Alene where I raise my
beloved son Shane, 14, as a single dad. Shane is a typical teen ager, in the
last year I have gone from being very smart, to of marginal consequences in his
eyes. My son is an old soul, he is very kind, has tons of girl friends, is an
artist, plays, and drums, and skis with me.
What have I been up to? Click the camera () for pictures!
I'm a lawyer... I also work
as a building contractor. Last year I remodeled for an estate sale. Ted
Norgard's house on Alpowa in Moscow. I supervised the removal of his 55 foot
yacht . Neighbors bet we could never get it out of
the back yard . Yet, we did clear, with less than one inch
clearance . Upon completion of his home, some of the old
neighbors gathered at dusk to recall some memories.
I have found
memories of the University Heights, and my companions Bill Junk, Rick Ross, Bob
Ross, Robb Parish, Scott Walker, Bill Bailey (crank caller) and others. We
played sand lot football, baseball, and cowboys and indians in the arboretum
when it was safe to play there all day, and come home at dark. We didn't lock
our houses then.
At the legal front I have been active in preserving the
public area status of McEuen Ball fields, saving for public use the third
street boat launch and saving Tubbs hill for public use... all the while
fighting multi-millionaire Hagadone who wants it otherwise. (we are winning
this battle as of today) I also participated in an effort to halt BN railroad
from building a 1,000,000 gallon diesel fuel tank facility over our public
water supply, (thus, future generations will have polluted water) at the
Rathdrum aquifer... we were unsuccessful on this one.
On October 7,
2003, my life was changed significantly; I had contracted to do a very steep
roof in Twin Lakes (12-12). I trusted a man named James who needed work and was
just out of prison. He was to hold the ladder along the metal bracing I used on
the roof. He didn't do his job, he let go, and his negligence caused me to
tumble 25 feet off the roof.
As I lay in agony
at the hospital with 5 fractures of my leg, the Lord told me to forgive the man
who's negligence caused my fall... right then, I did.
Prior to surgery,
I told Dr. Anderson, I have run 50,000 miles and competed in 22 marithons... I
want to run again. Dr. Anderson couldn't even look at me, he said on a 1 - 10
severity scale, my fracture was a 9.8. And then he prayed for me.
After
surgery, I went into respiratory arrest and nearly died. I vaguely remember my
son's mom, Karen, taking my hand and saying, "Steve you can't let go now ---
your son needs you.".
I was placed on a prayer chain at our church of
1500 people.
I was very humbled by my friends who stepped forward to
help me after the hospital, meals kept coming to our house. Strangers told me
their stories of their broken legs, and they gave me hope.
Dr. Anderson
wondered if I would ever walk right again and he said I would certainly not
run.
Eight weeks after that conversation, God answered my prayers, Dr.
Anderson said my leg was healing perfectly and that I might be able to run
marathons again. I will be, at least, a hear in to rehab and the credit goes to
the Lord; I am a Christ follower.
When the temperatures were dipped to
-20, I could feel those rods in my leg. Recovery is long and
painful.
All I need is a window of hope, my goal is to race again. And
to ski and hike again with my son. I had purchased back-packs for my son and I,
four months before the accident. They gather dust in the closet and didn't get
used, though we did go camping six times last summer. I hope to regain that
opportunity to hike with Shane again.
|
Tom
Davenport / The Spokesman-Review |
After
completing a leg-shattering dive from a roof he missed his regular "running
routine". Undaunted.. he borrowed a "Freedom Rider" hand-crank trike and
found out that, even an older fella, can be competitive.
He expects a
full recovery. (What was Steve doing on a roof
anyway?) |
I got into 3-wheel hand-cranked racing, with just four weeks
of training after leaving the hospital. I finished the 26.2 mile Seattle
Marathon on November 30, 2003.
The next weekend, I placed first over-all
with 3000 other runners at the 26.2 mile marathon race in Tucson Arizona. My
time was 1 hour 53 minutes and 25 seconds.
Shane and I headed to the January 25th, 2004 Las Vegas
marathon. I finished the 26.2 miles in 2 hours 13
minutes & 30 seconds!
Raising Shane is my priority. I had a
good teacher, my parents, George and Maruine Bell.
I am very active in
my church, Lake City Community on Ramsey Road in Coeur d'Alene.. where I humbly
serve as an usher and volunteer in projects such as summer camp
counselor.
I am also honored and privileged to play the 6 and 12-string
guitar at our worship team band at our church. It
was our worship leaders, Todd Hornby and Rodney Wright that prayed over me at
the hospital.
My reward playing guitar, was seeing some old faces light
up, when our band did an all day tour of the nursing homes in Coeur d'Alene at
Christmas. I also play at camp-outs, get togethers and funerals.
As the
years go by, my friends mean more and more to me.
As for my 25 foot fall
off the ladder, I have had time to ponder and realize that it was a miracle
that I made it off that roof with just a broken leg. I could have landed on my
head, been paralyzed, or worse. I believe God's angles guided me of the roof
that day.
I look forward to seeing old friends at the reunion. |