Dear Steve,

Shortly after your diagnosis you said, “If I conquer this disease, I will have more time to positively impact others in the world.” Although you didn’t conquer it, you grabbed more time than the medical experts thought possible. And you made incredibly good use of that time. You added amazing Steve-O stories to an already impressive collection and you continued to be a positive influence on everyone who knew you, and many who only knew of you. Although a book can’t possibly make the positive impact that you would have, I hope that pulling together your words from the CaringBridge posts and a few of the inspiring stories from your life will document and continue to spread your positive messages.

Many people have thanked me for gathering these stories. They tell me that I’ve given a wonderful gift to your family and friends. And I’m very happy that this little book has turned out to be something that Julene and the rest of your amazing family will treasure. But that’s really just icing on the cake.

My first hope in creating this book has always been to capture and share your story with people who might need to hear your message. To offer a way for you to continue to positively impact others. Father John O’Donohue said “A book is barely an object, it is a tender presence, fashioned from words, the secret echoes of the mind.” I hope that this book is the tender presence of you, the secret echoes of your mind.

I believe that as much as others may benefit from this book, I am surely the person who will gain the most. I am the fortunate one. If anyone received a gift in this book, it was me. The opportunity to work so closely with your words and stories was a blessing and a privilege. While it’s true that it may have been a gift in the sense of a “free puppy” – a gift that brings with it hard work and challenges – I can positively tell you that the rewards have far, far outweighed the effort.

In my Introduction to this book, I said that I hoped to “reach a new depth of awareness of those things that bring true harmony of the soul.” And I have found what I was seeking. Your inspiring qualities, the ones that came out in the book – gratitude, kindness, generosity, strength, courage, persistence, optimism, integrity, faith, and love, became more real to me – more possible. Thank you for showing me what living a good life, all the way to the end of that life, looks like.
You are missed,
Kelly