I’m looking forward to my first day of training for the
Indianapolis Mini Marathon. Like a lot of other blogs, I want to post
something before and after each workout. I know it will help hold me
accountable for each day of training, but I also want to make it clear that
this race is NOT just about me.
For each day that I train, I will
highlight a man or woman in public safety who died in the line of duty. I want
to call attention to individuals who have sacrificed everything for you and me.
I want to tell their story (with permission from their families) so that others
can know them. These people who died are not just a statistic. They are family
members, friends and colleagues. They loved their job, but had a life outside of
that job, as well. I believe we owe it the heroes and their families to continue
to celebrate their lives, as well as their spirit.
So, since today is the first day of
training and because I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for this man, I'm
dedicating today’s workout to my dad, Ronald W. Stephan…known to many as Ron or
simply, Bigfoot.
My dad was a big guy. He
stood 6’5” tall and wore a size 17 shoe, but the biggest part of him was his
heart. He was/is the most giving man I’ve ever met. Whether he was plowing driveways in the
winter or running random errands for people, he wasn’t happy unless he was
doing something for someone else…without any expectation of payment. In fact,
he wouldn’t accept payment.
He grew up in small town, Indiana and graduated from Randolph
Southern High School. He served during the Vietnam Conflict before making it
home safely to farm full-time with his dad.
He was also an expert welder and could literally fix anything on the
farm. His greatest achievements were his
kids and grandkids. My brother and I were his pride and joy until his two
granddaughters came along, and they stole his heart. Anyone who knew him would comment about how
much he loved his family. That’s just who he was.
While he farmed close to a thousand acres with my grandpa and
worked part-time doing odd jobs, he still wanted to do more. He joined the Lynn
Volunteer Fire Department around 1985. He loved responding and helping
others. He missed very few runs…even in
the middle of harvest or the coldest winters. His favorite part of serving was
educating kids about fire safety. He
loved taking fire trucks to the elementary to help kids learn more about
firefighters and their jobs.
In addition to serving on the fire department, he was also a
school board member for a little over fifteen years. He loved handing out diplomas
during graduation, as well as attending athletic events with my mom. He had as much school spirit as any high
school student. He attended every sectional basketball game w/ green hair. (Green and white were our school colors.) He loved his community and
would give back every chance he could.
While it may sound like my dad was all work and no play, this
couldn’t be further from the truth. He understood
that life was about balance. He loved to
hunt, fish, pull tractors and watch races.
He was passionate about his hobbies. He is the man who taught me about
racing and the reason I, too love NASCAR today.
During the Brickyard, he’d put on his favorite Bill Elliott t-shirt, get
up at the crack of dawn and wait patiently for a good picture or maybe even an
autograph. Without a doubt, my dad was a just a big kid!
On September 25, 2010, my dad suffered a fatal heart attack and
died in the line of duty after responding to a grass fire. Many don’t realize it, but heart attacks are
the leading cause of line of duty deaths in firefighters. Doctors have spent years researching the
effects of emergency responses on public safety workers, especially
firefighters. The evidence is
overwhelming. The following report provides a few of the statistics, but just
do a basic google search and you’ll see the connection. http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20070321/firefighter-killer-heart-disease
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