Kristen Oxley
Assistant Editor
January 27, 2006
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Photo uploaded by Hunter to his Facebook profile
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“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops - under the rocks are the words and some of the words are theirs.” -”A River Runs Through It”
The following is a tribute to junior Steven Hunter, a collection of thoughts and stories from some who knew him best. Steven’s interests and talents were so diverse, he cannot fit into a single category. He was a Captain Trojan, Republican, fisherman, a tennis player, a devoted Christian and a friend.
Hometown
“I don’t know anyone else who
was filled with as much joy and
enthusiasm.” -Josh Redden
Sophomore Josh Redden first met Steven Hunter in elementary school. Their friendship grew while in Boy Scouts, at summer camp and throughout their days at Portsmouth High School. Steven certainly fit the part of Portsmouth’s mascot, the Trojan. At basketball games, the lights were turned off and a spotlight shone on Steven as he ran onto the floor. The crowd erupted, and he pumped up everyone up in a way no one else could. He had so much excitement for life, and because of this he was able to play a significant role in the school.
“I don’t know anyone else who was filled with as much joy and enthusiasm,” Josh said.
Through Mascot Trojan, Steven influenced Portsmouth’s community. When his high school English teacher was in the hospital recovering from surgery, she was convinced she would die until Steven came to visit. Steven cheered her on with as much enthusiasm as he put into every endeavor of life, and she believes that Steven Hunter saved her life.
Politics and the outdoors
“He really did want to make a change
in the world.” -Tyler Selby
Steven’s hobbies and goals helped define who he was. Political conversations with Steven usually revealed his strong conservative views. He spent this past summer doing an internship in Washington, D.C., At Milligan, he studied history and legal studies with plans to attend law school, wanting to promote his Christian beliefs.
“He really did want to make a change in the world, and that’s how he was going to do it,” said freshman Tyler Selby.
Steven was a Boy Scout at heart, said freshman Autumn Hardy in chapel Jan. 19. He utilized his knowledge of the outdoors to appreciate its greatness.
During a camping trip to Roan Mountain this past fall, Steven and his friends encountered a park ranger “on a power trip,” Autumn said. The group of students needed a place to pitch their tent but didn’t want to be too close to the other people camping there that night. They picked a spot that had been taped off. After the group had pitched the tent and started a fire, the park ranger scolded them for being in the marked-off area and began interrogating them about their majors. He said that between all of them they should know what a marked-off area means. He continued to scold them and then asked what they knew about East Tennessee. Steven replied he knew they had good fly fishing. The park ranger eventually relented, letting them stay the night there.
Steven’s most passionate outdoor love was fly fishing. He owned books on fishing, and his favorite movie was “A River Runs Through It,” a Brad Pitt movie about fly fishing.
Steven and sophomore Grayson Patton were more than fishing buddies; they were best friends. They would go fishing on nice and bad days. One day while fishing, a cat approached them. Steven loved animals and especially cats, so he named it the “Hardy Cat” after a popular brand of fishing equipment.
During lunch one day Steven decided that he and Grayson needed 500 beavers to build a dam at a place referred to as “the steal bridge” because if the water got too high, they couldn’t fish.
Steven was so happy being outdoors, especially in the surrounding nature of East Tennessee. He respected nature and recognized everything as God’s creation. “He loved Tenn-essee,” Grayson said, “and Tenn-essee loved him.”
Playing tennis
“He kind of reminded me of a foal who had just learned to run.”
-Joe Dyer
Not only did Steven spend time fishing, but he was also a tennis player. Having transferred here as a junior after two years at Shawnee State in Ohio, Steven hadn’t played much tennis since high school. He met with Aubrey while visiting Milligan last spring and played a little bit with junior Ryan Reynolds. Coach Aubrey was impressed with Steven’s ability and offered him a scholarship to come play for Milligan.
Steven blended well with the team, serving as partners with senior Joe Dyer. Joe and other teammates teased Steven for his awkward running style.
“He kind of reminded me of a foal who had just learned to run,” Joe said.
Aubrey was pleased with Joe and Steven’s progress. They got along well and eased each other’s tension. Steven was excited and grateful to play college tennis, an opportunity he thought he would not get. Winning a doubles tournament at Emory and Henry meant more to him than probably anyone else on the team. He and Joe had their photo taken with their plaques after the match.
Charisma
“It doesn’t take 21 years to get to know Steven. It takes 10 minutes.”
-Josh Redden
One outstanding quality everyone seemed to notice about Steven was his smile, which could light up a room with its presence. However, it was not just the smile that people noticed but the man behind the smile. His smile was merely an outward expression of an extraordinary person.
Lee Fierbaugh, director of public relations, was Steven’s mentor and saw him around campus at the beginning of the school year. When she asked how he was doing, he always responded the same way: “Never been happier.”
“He was happy in all situations, as if he had the hope we all do as Christians, but he didn’t take it for granted,” said junior Shanna Myers, Steven’s girlfriend.
When talking to someone, Steven would make that person feel as if he or she were the only one in the room. Grayson said that the first time he talked to Steven he felt more comfortable with him than anyone else he had met. Steven cared about other people and focused more on their needs his own.
“The size of Milligan has nothing to do with why everyone knew Steven.,” said Josh. “It doesn’t take 21 years to get to know Steven. It takes 10 minutes.”
He wasn’t perfect, but “the good so heavily overrode the few faults that he had,” said sophomore Peter Harris.
Steven was busy, but he made time for his friends. When Josh could not walk because of knee surgery, Steven sat with him instead of going out.
When Grayson wanted to go fishing, Steven made time to accompany him. Steven was spontaneous and took advantage of every opportunity to do something he loved.
Faith
“He’s shown me in an individual how God can love us.” -Shanna Myers
Steven’s passion and love for life was rooted in his faith. He did not waste opportunities. God gave him gifts and talents, and he used them.
Steven’s actions let others know of his intense faith in God. He behaved the same no matter where he went and held up no masks, Josh said.
Grayson attributes his own strengthened faith to Steven.
“Steven lives in everyone who ever came in contact with him,” he said.
When Shanna thinks of Steven, she can’t help but smile, despite the pain. She believes he was God’s gift to her, and she felt honored to spend the amount of time with him that she did. He taught her to not fear imitating God’s love for people. “
Steven is the most amazing person I’ve ever met,” she said. “He’s shown me in an individual how God can love us.”