“Every act of generosity is an invitation into generosity.  Every act of courage is an invitation into courage.  Every act of selflessness is an invitation into selflessness.  Every act of healing is an invitation into healing.”  Charles Eisenstein

Amongst the many thoughtful and generous gifts that Steve received after his diagnosis was a simple, hand sewn flag.  The gift was special in its uniqueness and in the story behind it.  Presented to Steve and Julene by Steve’s colleague Rich, the flag had been on an extraordinary journey.

Steve had much in common with Rich; in many ways they were kindred spirits.  The two men were Simplot co-workers and friends who, in addition to work, shared many interests.  They both thoroughly enjoyed swapping stories – Steve often sharing his latest triathlon adventures and Rich his latest hiking outings.  And athletic activities weren’t the only things they talked about. They also cared deeply about giving back to their community and each enjoyed hearing about the worthy cause or event the other was supporting.  They were caring, fun, and energetic, and they never ran short of things to talk about.

Steve’s cancer diagnosis gave the two men another thing in common.  In 2009, Rich had received his own stage four cancer diagnosis and had battled the disease for two years before it went into remission.  Like everyone, Rich was devastated by Steve’s diagnosis, but unlike most, he could truly empathize with Steve.  He understood what Steve was feeling, for he had been down the same rocky path that Steve was now facing.

Through his own experience, Rich had learned the great value of the support of others. He deeply understood what a kind gesture meant to a person facing difficult news, and it was important to him that he show his support of Steve – in a very big way.

With his wife Debbie as a sounding board and contributor, Rich bounced around many ideas for a way to show his support of Steve.  Finally, they landed on the perfect plan.  Rich and Debbie were in the midst of preparing for a major hike and they decided to carry an artifact as a tribute to Steve, some small thing that would send just the right message.

The planned trek would take Rich and Debbie from Boise, Idaho to a base camp in Tanzania –  and then all the way to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. A dormant volcano with an elevation of 19,342 feet, Mt. Kili is the highest free standing mountain in the world and the highest point on the African continent.  Bringing Steve into this rigorous challenge was the demonstration of friendship and support that Rich was searching for.

With very limiting weight and space restrictions, they knew that the symbolic artifact would need to be small and light.  Eventually Rich and Debbie came up with a meaningful tribute – a flag.  Flags are universally recognized and powerfully symbolic.  Nations, states, cities, and organizations around the world and throughout the ages have used flags as emblems of shared values, histories, and hopes.  For Rich, this flag would represent his support of Steve.

While the flag was, by nature, very symbolic, Rich also wanted it to be very personal.  So with Debbie at his side, they took a trip to a local fabric store to carefully select just the right material.  Then, in Debbie’s sewing room, they worked together to first sew their flag and then hand stencil it with a thoughtfully chosen message.  As they worked, they realized that this could be more than a gesture from Rich – it could also represent the support of the many Simplot employees whose hearts were with Steve in his battle.  The words they chose to adorn the flag read “Simplot – Our Toughest Triathlete – Steve Andrews”.

Once the flag was complete, and Steve had given his hearty approval, Rich scheduled a flag signing event at the Simplot head offices.  All of Steve’s co-workers were invited.  Every detail had been attended to – right down to the selection of the pens.  They used only high quality permanent markers that wouldn’t fade or bleed in the intense sun and heavy Tanzanian rains.   The response was overwhelming.  A large, enthusiastic group turned out to join Rich in signing the flag to show their support to their long time and much admired friend and colleague.

The signing event gave Rich just what he hoped for – a beautiful and symbolic gesture of support.  But it also expanded the meaning of the gift in an unexpected way.  Originally, Rich had simply wanted a way to let Steve know that a lot of people truly cared for him.  But, out of the crowd of co-workers gathered to sign the flag came a comment that caught Rich off-guard.  Someone asked “what if, after all of this, you don’t make it to the top?”  This wasn’t something that Rich had considered.  But it was a valid point, the climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro was not going to be a walk in the park.  Any number of obstacles could come between Rich and the top of that high mountain peak on the far away African continent.

With that new thought, the flag became a symbol of something much bigger.  It became more than a gesture of support for Steve, but also a source of motivation for Rich.  It became a symbol of courage and strength in the face of challenge.  It represented the spirit of Steve: determination and persistence.  And Rich was inspired with a sense of responsibility to carry that flag to the summit – for Steve, for all of their Simplot co-workers, and for himself.  The flag and its journey became much bigger than a simple gesture of friendship and support.

The trip to the top of Mt. Kili did present obstacles. Major obstacles. The first was the tragic death of the third member of the hiking party.  It was a loss that left a deep ache in the hearts of Rich and Debbie.  Chelsea was their 22 year old niece and a fountain of positive energy.  In July of 2011, when Rich was still regaining strength after his two year fight against cancer, Chelsea and Rich hiked California’s Mt. Whitney, the highest summit in the contiguous United States.  Chelsea had encouraged Rich through each of the mountain’s 96 switchbacks and all the way to the top of the rugged 14,505 foot peak.  Chelsea had planned to join Rich and Debbie on their trek, and they had looked forward to having her and her enthusiastic optimism as a companion.  It was a devastating and heartbreaking loss when, shortly before the trip to Tanzania and the Mt. Kilimanjaro climb, Chelsea was killed in a car accident.

Once in Tanzania, the African weather posed another challenge.   The climb was scheduled for late December, at the end of the Tanzanian “short rains”.  The short rains get their name because they are typically lighter and shorter in duration than the heavy, daily rains of the long rain season.  Unfortunately, every day of Rich and Debbie’s trip brought more rain –  and mud and lightening were an ever-present threat to their safety while on the mountain.

A third challenge presented itself when Debbie’s ascent was stopped by altitude sickness.  Upon reaching the very thin air of the 3rd deck, she was forced to turn back and seek treatment from the mountain rescue team.  One of their guides, Adamson, helped Debbie get the medical assistance she needed, and then accompanied her back down the mountain to await Rich’s return in the safety of a hotel.  During Debbie’s anxious days before Rich completed the full trek, Adamson and another guide, Kambona, regularly brought news from the mountain and calmed her fears.

Rich had made the difficult decision to continue his quest for the summit, but without Debbie’s calming presence at his side the final 2000 feet proved to be a real and very daunting test.  After all of the difficulties that Rich and Debbie had already encountered, the steep, rocky terrain combined with the wind, ice, and lightning were almost too much.  Rich began to question his decision to continue, and if it wasn’t for Steve’s ‘never give up’ attitude, neatly folded in the flag and tucked deep in his pack, he may have turned back.  But the flag, and all it represented, motivated Rich and gave him the strength to push forward.

Reaching the summit, and all that the effort entailed, was a proud achievement for Rich.  But there was another moment that also brought him incredible joy.  After returning to Boise, Rich put together a slideshow of the trek and scheduled a presentation for his Simplot co-workers.  Steve and Julene were invited as special guests, and with the presentation paused on the last image, a photograph of Rich and his guide, Farook, holding the flag at the peak, Rich asked Steve and Julene to join him on the stage.  In front of a large crowd of colleagues and supporters, Rich presented Steve with his gift of the well-traveled flag.

Steve treasured the flag and all that it represented.  It motivated him as he courageously continued his fight for life.  And as a tangible piece of his X Factor, it was a source of great comfort.

CaringBridge Posts

Update – February 8, 2013
By Steve Andrews — Feb 8, 2013 8:02pm

I’m sorry I haven’t updated my CaringBridge site in a while.    This is actually good news as I continue to feel stronger every day.   I’m still getting a chemo treatment every Tuesday.    My next CT scan will be in mid-March. As you know, my scan in January showed a significant reduction in my tumors.  I’m optimistic that I’ll get more positive results from my next scan.

I’d like to start off by saying THANK YOU to one of my Simplot colleagues.   Rich recently climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.  Before Rich left Boise he had everyone at the Simplot office sign a flag which said “Simplot – Our Toughest Triathlete – Steve Andrews”.    Rich carried the flag to the top of the mountain and had a picture taken.  You can see the picture on this CaringBridge website.    He recently gave a presentation on his trip and presented me with the flag.    I’m so humbled by his generosity and thoughtfulness. 

Julene and I recently celebrated our 28th year anniversary with a trip to Ketchum/Sun Valley.   We’ve been going there many times over the years to celebrate.   We had a great time, including a wonderful day snowshoeing at Adams Gulch.   Also had some great meals in the local restaurants and watched some good movies. 

I continue to make progress in my weight gain.   My weight before I was diagnosed with cancer was 170 lbs.  Immediately, I dropped to 155 lbs as I had a hard time eating foods.   This morning I weighed 167 lbs – so I’m only three pounds away from my ideal weight!   

Despite my treatments and doctor’s appointments I have continued to work full time.  I must say THANK YOU to my Simplot co-workers who have helped me get my workload completed.   I have an incredible staff and boss. I’m blessed to work for a great company that cares so much about its employees.

Our next adventure is in a few weeks to the Las Vegas area for some bike riding.  We’ll be going with the Boise Aeros Triathlon Club – a great group of people.   This is the same group that sponsored a fund raiser for me in January.  This trip is always a great time and we’re looking forward to some warmer weather and sunshine.

I continue to receive love, support, and prayers from everyone.   And I appreciate this very much.  Please don’t stop!   This is helping me stay focused on keeping healthy and positive.       

God bless all of you,

Steve