First and Lasting Impressions:
Do I remember the first time I met Steven? I know it was in San Francisco and I know Cindy was there, but, to be honest, I can't remember the exact location or context of when we first met. Those little details are not important. Do I remember my impressions of Steven after meeting him? Yes. (Make that an "emphatic yes.") At the end of a long work week, I would call home and say, "Let's hang out with Cindy and Steven again." My wife Cindy responded, "You like Steven; you like the music he listens to; you like the fact that he goes fishing." My wife was correct on all three points. First, I'm sure I was not the first person to feel the "You like Steven" part. I could not imagine having a different feeling. Second, I do admit that it was nice to have another vote when choosing the music on the car stereo. Third, I was always angling for a way to go fishing. The points about music and fishing didn't change over time. The first and most important point – the "You like Steven" point – changed over time into true friendship. I really enjoyed being around Steven. He always had a positive attitude. I admired the way he based his actions on the simple but important things. We will all truly miss Steven's friendship and love.

True Love and Strength:
I really admire the way Steven brought love and happiness to Cindy. Whether we were eating dinner, watching a movie, or just sitting around with the cats, the room was filled with Steven's love and caring for Cindy. Witnessing the happiness between the two brings a warm feeling to my heart. The one moment that I will always remember occurred during one of the most difficult days in his life. One day after being diagnosed with cancer, a group of us visited Steven at the hospital. I saw how much the news affected both Cindy and Steve. Towards the end of the night, Steven sat up in bed and calmly told us, "I'm going to fight this." In the most difficult of times when we all needed to support Steven, he was the one who gave support to us. More importantly, his inner strength and love lifted the spirit of the most important person in his life, Cindy.

-Rod Chin

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