We all have special friends who leave behind a lasting legacy. You always remember their names and their faces. For me, that person is Steve Morda. He was one of nicest kindest people to be around.

Our friendship goes back a long way as my Mom went to high school with Steve’s wife Stella.

In the fall of 2009, Steve’s life was taken on a roller coaster ride as he was given life altering news as he was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer.

Instantly he decided he was going to support his family and his community. He was going to fight, live each day to the fullest and never give up.

Steve showed his strong leadership as he became an advocate for cancer fighters. He supported the Lustgarden Foundation and participated in several walks. At each walk, he spoke, encouraging others to donate money for cancer fighters and encourage cancer fighters to keep fighting and never give up.

Steve loved his family more than anything else. Steve and Stella have three daughters: Jackie, Stephanie, and Chrissy.

Steve loved his girls so much that before he died, he made sure he put aside special money to make sure they would be able to successful in their lives.

Another example of Steve’s strong leadership came in 2012 when Steve’s daughter Jackie was getting married in Arizona. At this point, the cancer was really affecting Steve. His body was ailing. He was in and out of the hospital.

On the day of the wedding, Steve was once again in the hospital and many people feared that this might be the end. However, Steve was not going to give up.

He was able to get himself out of the hospital just in time to walk his daughter Jackie down the aisle.

Even though his body was failing, there was nothing that was going to stop him from sharing that special moment with his daughter and his family.

Steve always had a strong brave heart. Steve always loved Valentine’s Day. Steve used to work with the Hallmark Card Company. Steve always made this day special for his wife Stella. He made it tradition that on Valentine’s Day, a limousine would pick her up and take her out to dinner.

Steve fought pancreatic cancer like a trojan for nearly four years. It is ironic that for a man with such a strong heart, that he took his final breath on Valentine’s Day in 2013. Before he died, he made sure there was another limousine for his wife Stella.

Steve’s legacy lives on today. His strong leadership helped guide his wife Stella through a difficult two years, as in a two-year span, she lost her husband Steve, her sister Maria and her Maria’s husband Jerry. She followed her husband’s lead and never gave up.

With Steve’s leadership, Stella was able to move to Florida and now has four grandchildren.

Steve was one of the strongest courageous people we have ever known. I always love sharing his story cause other people fighting cancer can learn from his story to keep fighting, live each day to the fullest and don’t give up, never give up. Always be positive and always have faith.