Ben

Ben Steadman was born on August 11^th, 1999, the same day as the last total solar eclipse of the millennium. Our journey as a family had finally begun and, like the eclipse, Ben overshadowed everything else becoming the center of our world. Eighteen-months later, his little sister was born, and our family seemed complete. They became best friends who constantly looked out for each other. Madie was willing to play Power Rangers and Ben was often seen dressed up as a princess. We looked on with wonder and amusement, always amazed at how lucky we had become to have this beautiful family.

We noticed changes in Ben in the fall of 2005. He stumbled into walls. His speech became slurred and he could no longer write his name. Our world crumbled when we were given the diagnosis that Ben had a brain tumor called a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma and that it was terminal. Ben received outstanding care at Children’s Hospital in Denver and was carried through treatment by the love of his family, friends, and classmates.

On March 29^th, 2006, Ben died peacefully in our arms at home. Shortly thereafter, we discovered there had been a total solar eclipse that same morning far across the world. Ben’s uncle Neal said it best, “that the sun itself was willing to stand aside to make way for both the arrival and passing of Ben.”