Loving, witty, smart, animal lover, mama’s boy.
Cade was so much more than his addiction, He was smart, quick-witted and sarcastically funny. He had the ability to build a computer from the ground up, loved his mother, Rose, and literally handed his shoes to a neighbor after his house burned. It was his nature to help those who needed it.
An animal lover and homebody, Cade loved watching movies or listening to music with his dogs by his side. He followed Auburn football and loved a good chat with others about cars.
He would occasionally go to local concerts or dinner out with the family.
Born with hemophilia, Cade could not always participate in things he wanted to, like skateboarding or rollerblading because of the bleeds he would get. He and his family were granted a Disney trip through the Make A Wish Foundation; it is a cherished memory for his sister, Megan, since Cade and their father are no longer living. His sister feels that the prescribed pain medications he started at a young age played a part in his addiction.
Megan shared one of her favorite memories with her brother. “Cade and I would sleep in my bed every Christmas Eve, listening to Christmas music and waiting for Santa. Whoever woke up first had to wake the other to go check out what Santa left for them.” It was a special time.
After his dad, Tom, died, Cade had difficulty dealing with the grief and with following the rules of the house set down by his mom. He dropped out of school during ninth grade and later received his GED. Cade had a lot of jobs, but nothing stable as he would be sick or in withdrawal or couldn’t get a ride. He was eventually put on disability because of his hemophilia.
Cade and Megan were close. He was known to his nephew, Cohen, as “Uncle Dude” because of his love for the movie, The Big Lebowski. Cade would fix dinner for Cohen, play trains with him, and chase him around the house, playing tag. He was great with kids and envisioned a time when he would be well and could have a stable relationship, get married, and have a family.
“Cade was a different person when he was in active addiction,” Megan said. “He was sweet and loving, but after the drugs wore off, or he was in need, he could be hateful and scary.”
According to Megan, the most difficult part was losing their dad when she was seventeen and Cade was fourteen. “Once dad was gone, Cade knew how to sweet talk my mom into anything. He pawned so much of my dad’s things, it felt like we barely had anything of his left.”
Megan had to set boundaries with Cade. She distanced herself from him, and fussed when he needed a ride or to borrow money, yet she would give in because it kept the peace. Since Cade’s death, she has committed to be careful not to use stigmatizing language about people who have a substance use disorder.
Losing Cade means there is no one left who knows the “inside jokes,” or who links Megan to her past. She also misses his exceptional hugs and his sarcastic humor. Megan said, “I have no one else to share that with. That’s what hurts me the most.”
Cade’s sister, Megan Steen, provided the information for this narrative.
April 1, 1986-October 21,2017-Age 31
Portrait Artist: Theresa Clower
Narrative Writer: Barbara Francois
