Steve Casey

I can't recall anything funny at school. My only fame was that I scored the first touchdown in Sahuaro's history and hit the first homerun in Sahuaro's history. I was probaly the first one thrown off the football team and also baseball team for smoking-- not to proud of that and I apologise to my teammates. I've had to live with not knowing how far I would have gone in sports, and that hasn't been easy either.

I also want to say a shout-out to the varsity basketball team for winning the state championship in 1970. That was a great team and probably the best basketball team I have seen in high school. I remember i went to the drive-in the night of their 2nd game in the tournament, they were getting close to 100 points I had to tell (Diane or Connie, can't remember which one I was with), to take a break,Ii wanted to hear the radio to see if they would score 100 points. They Did! and I went to the state game up in Phoenix with Ned and some other people. We WON!

Went into construction in 1970. After 3 years i took the contractors license exam and passed it. Had my own co. until the recession hit in 1974-75. Out of work, In March 1975, got into the life and health insurance business as an agent. 2 1/2 years later opened my own agency.In 1986 i moved to Tyler TX. passed my insurance exam and started working there. Was also licensed in TENN. and FL. In 1998 my stepmom was very sick, she had had two strokes. My dad needed some help, so i had planned to move them to tyler. Well, that wasn't working out to well, so i asked dad if he wanted me to come down to FL. He did, so i packed up and moved to FL. My stepmom died 2 months later on June 1st. 1998. I took care of my dad for the next 8 years. I hated FL. so after 5 years there, we sold the house and moved back to Tucson. My dad passed away peacefuly on April 25th 2006 at age 89. he was a great father and a good man. If your wondering about my brother Bill, We don't talk anymore. I've had enough of his bullshit. I asked him to help with dad once and he didn't want to get involved, imagine that! I wanted a break for a couple of weeks. He refused. There's more, but i'm not going into it.

Now The Bad News:

I was married in 1976 to a Debbie Radar. I think she went to Catalina, but who cares. This nitemare lasted 4 years was divorced in 1980. NO Kids and after that i never married again.

My Health is a mess. In 1998 when I moved to FL. I wasn't feeling too good. Got dizzy so decided to go to Dr. He says you got problems. I then went to a Cardiolgist, and was diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy, with a 26% injection fraction. In layman terms, my heart was dying. I also had congestive heart failure. I had to have a defibrilator put in at Palm Beach hospital in 1998. I go into V-Tach. Thats where your heart starts to race. I then get shocked and hopefuly it goes back into rhythm. This has happened around 80 times so far. I've had 4 heart ablations and I hope this time it lasts alittle longer before I am shocked again. It feels like a horse kicking you from the inside out. Yes it HURTS! I also have high blood pressure, i have had 6 stents put in. Three in one artery and three in another, I'm on Plavix. I've had two back surgeries, gallblader is gone. Had a B-9 tumor removed from L. Paratoid gland. I have hernia's in my stomach that Dr's will not operate on, because of my heart. Five years ago I was in a wheelchair and on oxygen, but after my third heart ablation my heart seemed to get alittle stronger and I am off both now, no wheelchair or O2. For now. I also have COPD. There's more. but lets just say, i'm a F-ing wreck and leave it at that. I also had to retire in 1999 do to my heart condition. Haven't worked since.

Lets see what else?? Oh, this year 2010 Sahuaro had its first alumni baseball game against the Varsity. I'm no good anymore, as I think my health will testify to that. Me and Ken Zobel were the only two there from the 68-69 team. Next year we will have more old teammates there. We lost, something like 12-2. It was fun!. I also helped coach the Varsity team this year for around 3 weeks, I just couldn't last with my health issues, I tried. Anyway, I donated alot of $$$$ to buy new equiptment for the team. They were good this year, but they could have been alot better if they were coached properly. Me and Chandler did not see eye to eye. Coach Chandler says coaching has changed. To that I say "Bull-Shit" I heard he had ballplayers telling the coach that they wouldn't play this position or that position. To those of you that know me and I'm sure there's a few, if i would have said that to Hal Eustice, he would have said" Case, I'll tell you what, why don't you take a seat on the bench, and you don't have to play at ALL!" Bunch of softies these days. Anyway, The team was 15-1 when I was there at the games and 5-7 when I wasn't. Go Figure. They won the first game in the state playoff and I couldn't go to the 2nd game, which they lost and they were then out of the race. They were a good ballteam and I told them this year that they were much better than last years record showed, but that they had to play at their potential and quit screwing around. GREAT JOB GUYS, I was proud of you.

Thats about it, these days, just trying to hang in there. I hope that we will have a great turn-out for this 40th year reunion. Not to be negative, but this will most likely be my last one and i'd like to see alot of you there.

Update: I went into V-Tach again on Sept. 3rd. 2010; defibrilater shocked me 6 more times. That's always a nice feeling. Anyway, spent 4 days in ICU and one day in heart ward. They tripled my meds and so far they seem to be working. Hopefully i can get another year before I get shocked again. Thats what sucks about this disease, you never know when or where and its that sudden. Think what that does to your mind.