A year without Steven

El Steven Mackin? Still close to our hearts. On October 16th, 2006, Steven was still sending me text message shout-outs from the University of Louisville cancer center in Kentucky to which I naturally replied "Love shout-outs from people I know with last name of Mackin!"

This, a couple of days after I spent a full afternoon texting back and forth with the main man as he was being transported in an ambulance from the smaller Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville to a larger cancer center at Louisville University (the transfer decision came at the last minute and left him without anyone to accompany him during the ambulance ride - I was more than glad to be there for him).

What can I say? I miss Steven. Lots. Today my I-Tunes player brought up the "Field of Dreams" theme song that Steven had sent me a while back when he wanted to share one of his favorite compositions (I mean, he was a college band dweeb and all). It really got me big time.

Throughout the year I have been in touch with his mom, Sheila, and his sisters, Torey and Amy Jo. On Sunday, October 28th, the anniversary of Steven's death, they will gather together with other family members at the cemetery where Steven is buried and hold balloons with notes to Steven attached to them. They will release the balloons around 2pm, which is the estimated time at which Steven died a year ago on the 28th. I will probably do the same at Central Park here in New York.

If you'd like to send greetings to the Mackin family I urge to write directly to Steven's mom at shebrady@hotmail.com (not sure she'll get back to you but I am certain she will appreciate your thoughts and greetings).

In the meantime Jake Wheat at StreetBlast.com has put together a music CD in honor of Steven to raise awareness about Ewing's Sarcoma and how it afflicts younger people. I've already ordered my copy and you can order yours here (all proceeds go to Ewing's Sarcoma research).

For more on Steven you can read his amazing LiveJournal entries ("Things I've Found in My Butt").

There are also some image and video memorials here and here.

Update: "One Bardstown family turns mourning into celebration" (News Blaze, Oct. 15, 2007)

Previously on Blabbeando:

• Juy 9, 2007: Indie musicians fight Ewing's Sarcoma
  
• June 15, 2007: Steven Mackin would have turned 28 today
• March 7, 2007: The Associated Press profiles Steven Mackin
• February 19, 2007: Steven lives on!
• October 30, 2006: Goodbye, my friend
• October 28, 2006: Word is out so...
• October 26, 2006: Damn, Steven
• October 13, 2006: LJ Bears *heart* Steven Mackin
• September 29, 2006: I *heart* puppies
• September 26, 2006: We love Steven Mackin
• June 20, 2006: Oh no he didn't! Oh yes she did! More bloggers!
  
• April 12, 2006: More fun with Steven
• January 31, 2006: KY = KY jelly or Kentucky?
• November 3, 2005: Time for some good ol' butt