RIP Steven... my Friend

At 10am this morning I found out from my boss, that my friend (and also coworker), Steven, passed away yesterday. We've been working together for over five years now, and have become close friends over the past couple / few years or so.

Steven had been battling Pancreatic Cancer, and he lost his battle. He fought this battle with the spirit of which I have never seen from anyone before. He was undergoing his third different type of chemotherapy, and was still coming to work, until last week. Yes, he worked until one week before he passed away.

I knew that this horrible disease would take Steven's life, as did he... however, no amount of preparation / expectation could lessen the shock, pain, and grief of when I actually heard the news... the news that he was gone.

He passed painlessly and quickly, after being taken off of life-support. His family was with him, and he was lying in his wife's arms when he left this world. This is of some comfort to me, though it is still hard to believe I'll never see him, hug him, or talk to him again.

Steven... thank you for the archery lessons, the debates on hunting, for letting me call you "Weeven," for teasing me about the "new" country music I listen to vs. the "old" country that is the good stuff you liked, for your crazy Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers, for letting me "interecept" calls from your wife so that I could talk to her too, and most of all... thank you for being my friend. I'll miss you...