Good Morning World,
Today is all about my friend Steve Elsaesser. Here he is (my favorite picture of him!)
Great picture of a GRAPE man!
Steve died on Sunday night after being hit from behind by a “distracted” driver in a BMW. After the initial impact, another car (a Lexus) coming from the other direction trying to avoid the accident hit him again and killed him. That image is just so ingrained in my mind that it makes me really sad. However, there is some irony in the fact that he was hit by a BMW and a LEXUS! It was a blessing and I know it was a “God” thing. God did not want him to suffer and clearly he “didn’t know what hit him”! He was coming back from his “Language of the Heart” meeting. He started that meeting in Immokkalee and at first it was a Step Meeting called “Start Where You Are”. He hooked up with a guy from that area who was having a drinking problem named Josh. He decided to start a meeting out there and had faithfully taken a meeting there every Sunday at 7PM since March 2015. I helped him design a flyer for the meeting. After a while he decided he loved the “Language of the Heart” book so much that he wanted to begin reading out of that book so he changed the name to “Language of the Heart” and that was the format. He was a great promoter of the meeting. He grabbed people to go out to the meeting with him and he called me right before the meeting started on Sunday to say 6 people had showed up – he was so happy about that. He was so proud that he had registered the meeting with New York and it has a number now: 000632504. He wanted me to add that to the database and I did that on Sunday. I hope they “carry on” with the meeting, as I know how important it is to have a meeting out there. I received an email from a guy name Jorge by way of the Naples Intergroup Website looking for a meeting and he showed up the next Sunday! Steve was pleased!
If you want to learn about Steve you can view his blog at http://stfourthdimension.blogspot.com/. He was an artist, a musician, a spiritual advisor and a God loving, peaceful man. I know little about his family. I know his wife Anna, and he has a couple of children. A daughter who lives in Golden Gate and a son he doesn’t speak about very often – at least not to me. He was proud of his daughter who became an EMT late in life. Here is another picture of him:
Steve & his violin
I got this picture from Megan Farmer’s FB page. Steve made a living playing the violin with the Cincinnati Orchestra before he retired to Naples to become a bartender where he worked in a variety of down and dirty bars (The Captain’s Cabin). He his sobriety date is March 18, 1974. He got sober in Naples. That is 41 years, 6 months and 4 days (make that 2 days). His birthday is May 25, 1933 – he was 82 years old. He was an amazing man. I work daily with people who have dementia. There was NONE of that with Steve. He was always on his computer and he helped me a lot. Last Friday (we’d meet at the Intergroup Office on Fridays where I was a volunteer until 7PM) he was helping me research “scheduling programs” after I was complaining about my task at work that makes me crazy. He was always sending me links and things like that whenever I had an issue.
He spoke the truth, he was kind, he carried the message he Walked the Walk and Talked the Talk. He went to Atlanta for the International and was saving money to go to Detroit in 5 years (although he confessed he would probably use the money to buy Christmas presents this year). I started saving a $1 a day too, but have done it less frequently lately. Like so many things, the enthusiasm dies and things end. So it was with Steve. He spoke of death at times. Realized he had lived long and for the most part happily. I think he was happy with his life. I know he touched many of us here in Naples. There is supposed to be a service on Saturday, Oct. 3rd at the 24 Hour Club. I’m supposed to be at the Area Quarterly. I’m going to “rethink” that. I’m committed at this time – sharing a room with Michele, but that could change I suppose. I’ll need to make that decision shortly.
Now that he his gone, my blog will probably never have any comments. But that is OK – I will miss my friend, my mentor and my spiritual advisor. He was quite a man and I am blessed to have had him in my life!
Steve and his daughter
Rest in Peace my friend!
Cathy
Sep 22. 2015
Mary – Bill and I are so sorry to hear this! We know he was a good friend of yours. Praying for you during this time. We love you!
Mary
Sep 25. 2015
Thanks Cathy. Steve was a winner. He will be sorely missed here in Naples, but he didn’t suffer and that is all we can ask for. God Bless Him!
Bob B
Sep 22. 2015
I was very sorry to hear about Steve. I often try to put a positive spin on most events I do not like. He did not suffer long and that is what I will remind myself. And yet, I have a big lump in my throat that tells me I am sad to see him go. I am glad for the “bad” feelings because that tells me how much he meant to me. I grateful to know and share some time with Steve. His AA experience in Immokkalee was typical of Steve. That kind of experience was repeated many times in Steve’s AA.
Mary, I know your loss is painful, and I wish I could something to alleviate your pain. This is another time I am powerless. I appreciate your blog about Steve. I felt your warmth and caring for him. I too, liked the first photo. That will be the way I choose to remember him. May he rest in peace.
With love, Bob
Mary
Sep 25. 2015
Thanks for posting Bob. I appreciate your kindness. Steve was one of a kind. He will be missed by many. I’m glad you commented. I was afraid I didn’t have your email. Hope you are happy now! Our website misses you and so do I!