Steven David Emmerson

*. *.*Born 17 August 1979.*.*.*
Became an Angel 18 January 2008
****************

All About Steven

Lots of people have asked what was Steven like, so I thought I would try and write down a few
things.

Steven was born in Germany and didn’t have the best start to life. He got stuck in the birth
channel and several attempts by one of the junior doctors they realised that he couldn’t be born
normally and Gail was rushed down to have an EC. Waiting outside the operating theatre seemed to be
a lifetime, but eventually someone came out to announce I had a son and both mother and baby were
doing fine. Again I had another wait till they cleaned both of them up. Gail was groggy when I went
to see her but pleased that she give me my first son, although she told me I had to go and see the
sister as there was some concern over his foot. The reason Steven was stuck during birth was one of
his feet had been stuck in a rip. There was a slight deformity of the foot but we were reassured, it
was nothing to worry about. Every day I visited the hospital even though it was a round 3hrs journey
for me, we both decided that he would be called Steven David, David been after myself. When he left
hospital he had a L shape black plaster on his leg, which hopefully would help to push back his foot
into shape. During that time I was also leaving the army, so plans were putting in for us returning
back to England.

When we returned to England at first we lived with my mum, till we got our own house, during this
time we came great friends with a girl called carol, who had just had a baby also. It was during
this time we noticed that Steven was slow at developing. We voiced our concerns to the doctor but
was also told we were over zealous parents and he was developing normally, but as parents we knew
then something wasn’t quite right. In the mean time we were still getting treatment for his foot.
Aged 18 months he was still unable to walk, and with one meeting with the consultant he suggested
surgery to correct his foot, as the Xrays had shown the bone was twisted from below the knee to his
foot. Surgery was scheduled for 3 months later, and during that 3 months wait, Steven decided he was
sick of shuffling on his bum to get everywhere and just got up and walked, although he did still
drag the foot behind him. So just before his 2nd birthday Steven entered hospital for his surgery,
as any parent whose child has had surgery knows, when you look down at them so small lying on the
operating theatre, you just wish you could take their place. It was whilst in hospital Steven
discovered a great game to play. The corridor in the hospital must have been about a half a mile
long and had a slight incline from top to bottom, of course Steven was in the very top ward. On one
of the visits his uncle took him in his wheelchair and ran up and down this corridor, much to
Stevens delight. The sound of Steven laughing and giggling could be heard right through the
hospital, to Steven he called this “round the twist”, and had everyone that visited him running
up and down the corridor with him. The operation was a success and Stevens leg was at long last
straight.

It was just after this time, that our health visitor changed, so we got on to her about Stevens
development. Much to our delight she agreed and arranged for some tests to be done at home. It was
after the tests that Steven was Diagnosed as Slight Down Syndrome, and we arranged to visit a
special school near our home to see if we could get Steven in it. In the mean time we had got
nursery school arranged for Steven, but he never seemed to have fitted in, yet the first day we
visited Greenfields, Steven felt at home, you could see it in his face. Greenfields was a beautiful
school, full of love and happiness, at times when you visited you could cry when you seen some of
the more severely disabled children. Steven was at that school from the age of 3 till the age of
18.

Just before Steven entered the school, we moved housed as we came part-time caretakers of the St
John’s Ambulance brigade Headquarters, of which we were both members, plus it was a lot closer to
school. Steven loved this house, he used to sit at the window and watch people arriving at the
brigade headquarters.

Steven now felt he belonged, he was happy at school and at home. Unfortunately not long after this,
his mum and me decided we would go our separate ways. But I continued visiting him and weekends and
during holidays. It was during this time I developed Stevens love for football and his precious
Newcastle United. I used to take him to the training ground to watch the players train, all the
players used to make a fuss of him. One player stood out from the others, Paul Gasgoine, at the time
he was a youth player just breaking into the first team, he spend time after training to play
football with Steven, and then he said to him if he made it big in football he would return to give
Steven a lift in his car. As people in England know Gasgoine went on to be one of the top players in
England. Years later we were going to the training ground when a car pulled up beside us, and a
familiar voice shouted “I’ve come to give you a lift”, there was Paul Gascoine in his car for
filling his promise that he made years earlier to give Steven a lift, about 30 mins later Steven
returned with a smile as big as any and pockets full of chocolate. Paul Gascoine received a lot of
bad press during his time, but to me he will always be special for what he did for Steven.

Steven although young when he died had a full life, he had his various clubs he used to go to,
Thursday nights was his only spare night. He also used to love television as was a great lover of
the various soaps. He will always be remembered at the PHAB club for his adventurous spirit, and as
it was said for getting the microphone and telling everybody “Come on lets party”

Steven was a happy person and with an infectious smile that made other people smile as well. If he
didn’t know you, he would introduce himself. He was loving and caring, hate was a word he never
used, He never complained even near the end when he must have been in a lot of pain, his one concern
was always other people, he always made sure he asked if you were alright. Steven leaves behind a
legacy of love to all that knew him.


"I'll lend to you for a little time,
A child of mine," God said,
"For you to love while he lives
And mourn for when he's dead."

"It may be six or seven years
Or twenty-two or three,
But will you till I call him back,
Take care of him for me?"

"He'll bring his charms to gladden you
And should his stay be brief,
You'll have these precious memories
To comfort you through grief."

"I cannot promise he will stay
Since all from earth return.
But there are lessons taught down there
I want this child to learn."

"I've looked this world over,
In my search for teachers true.
In the crowds of this great land,
I have selected you."

"Now will you give him all your love
Not think the his life was vain,
Nor hate me when I come to call
To take him back again?"


Do not stand at my grave and forever weep.
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and forever cry.
I am not there. I did not die.

For those who loves us

Like a shadow falling over us
You had to go, you couldn't stay
Our grief is heavy
Our hearts grown cold
But somehow knowing
Knowing that your pain is over
It's healing parts of our souls

Like a shadow through the night sky
Like a river calmly washing over my feet
Like the sweetest summerbreeze
You are still here with me through these days

So shine over us, make the pain go away
I know you're there, sometimes right here by my side
Though I never knew you
You're still here, standing by my side
Is it to show me, I'm not alone?
So I can show them all
That they aren't alone, that you all are watching over them

So take care of those I love
Cause the distance is to far
I can't go there
Even if I'd really tried
I need to sort my life out
To be who I long to be

So like the night air
Visit them
Visit mom

By Anna (Sweden)

------♥♥------Put This
----♥♥-♥♥--- -On Your
---♥♥---♥♥-- -Loved ones
---♥♥---♥♥-- -Page if
---♥♥---♥♥-- -They
----♥♥-♥♥--- -Died
-----♥♥♥------ Of
----♥♥-♥♥--- -cancer
---♥♥---♥♥-- -To show them
- ♥♥------♥♥--You care.