For Steven...

The first time I met Steven was in the beginning of April 2000. I had just been hired by Steve Chin to work at aOnline. He and Steven were building the engineering team for the online division of aMagazine. One of the very first things that Steven said to me was: "I was warned against hiring you, but I went with my gut and ignored the rumor mill." I didn't realize then what a pivotal role that "instinctive decision" would play, for both of us. It marked not only the beginning of an instrumental career change for me and the realization of a dream come true, but more importantly, marked the start of a friendship that I will always hold close to my heart.

Through all of our challenges and successes - from working 16+ hour days to meeting impossible deadlines to differences in working style to intense conversations on cross-continental flights to wicked paybacks for noisy neighbors to trolling NYC for late night eats to negotiating layoff terms to losing out on spam in trivia contests to launching kick-ass Web sites to witnessing love lost and found - Steven never gave up. He never made a promise he could not keep. He never asked for more than what he wasn't already giving 110 percent on. He was truly a fearless leader.

I came to know a man who was filled with passion, with commitment, with eternal optimism. With a joyful and generous spirit. With fierce loyalty and devotion towards his friends. With absolute dedication, guardianship and love towards his parents. And with the truest of love for his partner in life.

My heart breaks for the loss of him. But if he saw my tears, he'd give me a big smile and say earnestly: "Time to get that drink" and we'd laugh.

-Cat Huang

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