By Mike Takeuchi
(Note-Due to Kevin's wishes for privacy during his final days, I could not explain the exact nature of his illness. Unfortunately he passed away today November 13, 2009. He was a great guy and will be missed terribly by myself and many in the community.) MT
Dear Kevin,
I know your son Ryan and your dad Larry just picked up an award from the Athletic Round Table Luncheon last Monday for being their Sportsperson of the Month. But while they appreciated the gesture, some people you know (myself included) think that you deserve so much more.
First, your son Ryan thinks you are the greatest and bravest not so much for climbing the seemingly impossible big walls of El Capitan , but just for being a wonderful dad to him and his sister Rachel and a great husband to his mom Lori. Your dad said that over the years, you have touched a lot of lives in your years on this earth and that he is very proud of you.
Your family isn’t the only one who recognizes the gift that you have given to people. As a healer and athletic trainer, you were par excellence, bar none, Dr. Bill Gallivan said. Bill said that from the San Francisco 49ers, to the Olympic athletes, the golfers from pros like Fred Couples and Don Parsons, you were nothing short of an amazing teammate. But he added that you seemed to do your best work with the high school and youth athletes of the community.
Bill said that you were a pleasure to work with and a fabulous guy to share the sidelines with. He added that patients loved you because you always went beyond healing just their physical injuries and that he wished more caregivers used your approach.
One of those athletes you trained, Gavin Feuer, may just make that jump to the pros some day. Gavin, a senior pitcher for the Santa Barbara High baseball team was thankful for the safe haven you provided for him. He also noticed that you would often treat those who couldn’t afford it. Because of this and many other things, he unfailingly trusted you to do the right thing.
The biggest lesson he learned was how you taught him to turn weaknesses into strengths was not just for the gym, but equated to life on the outside. He will be forever grateful of that.
Other than your family, your good friend and climbing partner Kevin Steele probably knew you best. Perhaps it was bivouacking thousands of feet above the ground, along the walls of El Cap, or maybe it was discovering new routes on the Full Moon Dihedral as a world-class climber, or teaching him something you were great at, surfing or maybe it was even standing beside him at his wedding, Kevin Steele knew he could trust you with his life. That says a lot about a man.
I’ll always appreciate the warm treatment and assistance you provided without charge in whatever ailed me. You were a one-man welcoming committee that was always eager to share your experiences or a good story.
I’ll never forget the time you walked across the dining room at Petrinis to say hello to my family and then went back to yours. With eyes bright, you shared a secret with your kids with a look of pure happiness on your face.
We all just wanted to congratulate you Kevin. By virtue of your love for your family, earnestness and passion while pursuing your profession with the truest of hearts, you have become dear to us all. And in the process, you have summitted a mountain that is as high as 100 Mt. Everests stacked up one on top of the other. And we are all looking up and proudly watching as you plant your flag in triumph.
Note, there is a nice “appreciation thread” for Kevin Brown filled with spectacular photographs by Kevin Steele on Supertopo.com.
