PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Off-Topic Steve Young - an update

Many of the "old-timers" know Steve Young.
He was a frequent forum visitor in the past, especially the Showcase.
His productions, using BIAB, are some of the best that are ever posted.
In fact, his productions (use of BIAB) are what convinced me that BIAB was "the real thing" and more than worth the price.

Yesterday, I was contacted by a good, life-long friend of Steve's with an update on his current situation, asking if it would be possible to pass the information on to those in the forum who would want to know.

So I will copy (below) David's email message. Better his words than mine, since he knows Steve and his wife Rachel well...

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I'm a friend of Steve Young. I've known him since high school and we're best friends. I could use your help if you're willing.


As you may already know Steve had an eye stroke which he has largely recovered from. But he had a critical situation develop even before he had recovered. His wife was diagnosed with a very rare form of a leukemia type disease and is being treated in part at MD Anderson hospital in Houston. This is a permanent, life altering event.



He's finding it difficult to ask for help but the doctors have said she will be off work for at least a year, and maybe forever. In all likelihood Steve will also be unable to work most of the year as well, since she needs to be driven to Houston regularly in addition to local care here in San Antonio. Part of his wife's recovery will also mean traveling out of state (to the only facility covered by his insurance) for 3 months of stem cell treatments. She should be eligible for social security disability benefits but that's not close to her normal income.

Steve is a very frugal person living in an average home and driving an average car. No expensive habits with no real vices. Like me, no liquor, tobacco, drugs, our only vices are music, food & coffee. He's unselfish, modest, & always available to help others. His 40+ year marriage is as good as it gets. True to form, I don't believe he's told anyone at PGM or in the forum of his situation.


Outside of my uncle J.T. (also a preacher) Steve is the best person I've ever known. He is my best friend. When Steve had his stroke I insisted he deal with it directly & drove him to the specialist the same day, and a little later to the emergency room. Little did we know this would be the least of his worries last fall. I'm confident Rachel will get the best treatment available. She is seeing the best specialist (whose practice is dedicated to this rare form of the disease) at the best hospital in the world for cancer & associated diseases.

His daughters have set up a go fund me page to help with their expenses. Initially they were trying to raise $25,000 but they've upped it to $75,000 now that they know more.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/steve-and-rachel039s-fearless-fight?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_lico%2Bupdate&fbclid=IwAR2g86cV8rCO_pR_-iN_2Oi1btsPNsJfPpHiCUiw08_Yxt-8SXhLcXMpq-E

same link to Steve's and Rachel's page


I don't know if you're allowed to share this on the forum. Even if it's not possible to post a go fund me link at the very least I know his friends would want to send him well wishes.

Today Steve is in Houston for another round of chemo. His cell number has recently changed but you can still reach him on Facebook or via email. He may not respond right away as he's pretty busy at times. As I said, he's finding it hard to ask people for help, so please post what you can on the forum despite his reluctance.


Regards,
David Reding

So sorry to hear of Steve and Rachel's illnesses. Steve has posted a little of his issue here on the forum in the past. There's no stronger bond than a good marriage and it sounds as if this is one of those marriages. They're blessed. My thoughts and prayers are with them both.

That is very sad news.

My prayers are for both of them.

We'll be praying for Steve and Rachel during these difficult times.

Steve is a true gentleman always willing to dispatch advice on the music making process, I sincerely hope that he and his wife make a good recovery.

Steve is a wonderful musician. I remember he talked about his vision and recovery. Very sorry to hear about Rachel's condition. I wish them both strength. FJ, thank you for the update, made a small donation.

My goodness. Steve and Rachel have had a really rotten time. I had no idea. I can't imagine the emotional strength needed to climb all these monstrous mountains one after the other.

Steve is an incredible musician. His ability to create and to arrange music is exceptional. He and I have co-written three songs and every time he emails me his contributions to a co-write, I'm in awe of what he can do.

If anyone hasn't heard Steve's arranging prowess, please visit the below link. This is one of our songs that was created when BIAB's horn ensembles were relatively new.

https://soundcloud.com/stephenwyoung/when-i-wake-up-in-the-morning

Thanks for the link to the GoFundMe page, floyd. I appreciated that.

All my healing thoughts go out to him, Rachel and their family.

Noel

Floyd,

Have you received any updates since this initial post?

Jim,
just heard a new tune by Steve today:

https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=653278#Post653278

Wow, I didn't know about this post until just the past couple weeks. I had no idea that my friend, David had contacted Floyd about this. (I will be sure and let the authorities know where to find his body.)

I was going to post earlier, but I had a freak event of sudden low blood pressure due to a reaction to some medicine I was taking for nerve pain. It caused some internal bleeding, and I ended up in the hospital for a few days. I am pretty well recovered, and back to full time care-taking for Rachel.

I am so thankful for all the very kind words from my Forum family! Your prayers and thoughts mean so much to us. Rachel is in the fight of her life, but we are confident she will win. She did have the stem cell transplant on March 24, and that is when the real battle started. She has been in and out of the hospital for treatment of GvHD (Graph vs Host Disease - a form of rejection.) While in the hospital, it was discovered that she was having a severe reaction to one of the primary drugs they put her on just before the transplant. So we have been monitoring her recovery from that as well. She is strong in faith, and is a real fighter. Her biggest battle right now is with anorexia (caused by the enormous amount of chemo she received to get the transplant. She has lost approx 70 pounds. So we are praying for appetite, and the ability to eat.

Again, your prayers mean the world to us. I am trying to pop in as much as I can to the Forum to listen to your music. Also, I am trying to write, as a means of comfort and breaking from the burden of care for the one I love more than anyone in this world. So hopefully you will see some material drop in every now and then. I hope you will forgive me for not being as active as I have been in the past. This past year has definitely presented its challenges to me and my family.

Thanks again to all of you!

Steve

Steve,

Thanks for thinking about us, popping in and giving us an update. Our continued thoughts and best wishes for Rachel and you.