Thursday, October 17, 2013

Please don't you cry when the time to part has come

Hello everyone,

So I'm aware that I have not updated this blog in an exceptionally long time and that I should be better about that. News Update: I am currently working on a collaborative project and have just been cast in one of our mainstages (!!!). Very exciting stuff but the thing I plan on writing about today is far heavier.

Today, at about 5 pm my time, a nineteen-year-old boy named Steven Rodriguez passed away from a very rare Stage III Brain Tumor. He had been diagnosed back in February and had a very hard time going through his cancer. Throughout his treatment though, he stayed positive and tried to make the best of the situation on Facebook by saying that Chemo made him look like Walter White. He got support from Bryan Cranston, Arron Paul and Pablo Sandoval and thousands of messages a day on Facebook telling him to stay upbeat and that he would beat this. Today, October 17th, Steven finally decided that it was time for him to enjoy another world and left this one.

Why am I writing about this boy? Heres why:

When I was a Junior in high school, I directed Steven in a One-Act called Manhattan Tales (one of my favorites that I ever directed). Steven was always full of energy and had the magical ability to make you laugh no matter what. He was creative and hard-working and never ceased to make me feel happy. I got to watch him grow as an actor the next year and once I graduated, I still watched his process as he decided that he wanted to be an actor. I had not seen him in quite some time but if anyone asked how I felt about him, I would tell them that Steven was a great and sweet kid who I was very fond of. Steven was the kind of person who was easy to talk to and had a genuine interest in anything you would say. I always lived to see him succeed at life.

It is unfortunate that bad things happen to good people. Steven did not deserve to have cancer but handled his time with grace and bravery that must have been incredibly hard to muster. I regret that I never visited him in the hospital and naturally feel some guilt about that. But Steven would not have judged me, he was a kid without judgement.

I know that dying has a tendency to make saints out of people but I just wanted to celebrate Steven's life. A kid so generous and so kind should know that people will miss him and remember him always.

I did not know you long Steven but I loved you nonetheless. I hope you keep everyone rolling with laughter up in Heaven and (as cheesy as it sounds) I will now know that thunder is just the angels laughing at your jokes.

Rest in Peace Steven. You deserve it after your hard journey. You will be missed.