Tree of life

Wade Steffey’s parents were among the first to arrive at Bloomington High School South where the North-South track meet was to be held, and where the first tree in honor of their son’s life was to be planted. The ceremony attracted a congregation of family, friends, members of the community and other athletes. \nWade Steffey, whose body was discovered after he had been missing from Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus for two months, was a Bloomington High School South graduate. He was an active member of South’s cross-country and track teams. His death was ruled accidental after it was discovered he was electrocuted in a utility room that was unlocked and not labeled as high-voltage. He was 19 years old.\n“Trees were a metaphor for bringing up Wade,” Dawn Adams, Wade Steffey’s mother, said, “That was a vision Dale (Steffey) got about growing tall, straight trees.”\nAdams and her husband, Dale Steffey, have a vision to plant trees wherever possible in celebration of Wade Steffey’s life. During the ceremony, Dale Steffey described how his son’s friendship and charisma extended to everyone he knew. He then related that to how the newly planted red oak tree, and more trees to come, will reach out and benefit the community, just like Wade Steffey did.\nBut as the minds of young athletes were beginning to center on precision and speed, an announcement was made on the loudspeaker to focus on the northeast corner of the track where the Wade Steffey tree-planting ceremony was beginning. \nThe ceremony began with Dale Steffey and Layla, Wade Steffey’s 3-year-old niece, filling in soil around the plotted tree. Friends and family stood silently while both Bloomington High School North and South teams respectfully halted and faced the corner of the track.\n“Planting a lot of trees in memory of Wade is a good idea because Wade affected so many people in a good way,” said Adam Petersohn, who ran cross-country and track and attended Purdue with Wade Steffey.\nThe red oak tree was purchased by Wade Steffey’s uncle and his fiancee, who live in Franklin, Ind. The couple brought it down the day of the funeral to support the dream Dale Steffey and Adams share.\nLarry Williams, who coaches the boys’ cross-country and track teams at Bloomington High School South, chose the spot for the tree planting so that athletes and spectators could see it and remember Wade Steffey.\nWilliams, who coached Wade Steffey, later spoke of the inspiration Dale Steffey and Adams are as parents. Williams, who is the father of two children, commended Wade Steffey’s parents for the positive attitudes they have shared with the community, despite the trauma they endured through their son’s disappearance and death. During the ceremony, Williams said the tree will be the first of many to celebrate Wade Steffey.\nAt the end of the ceremony, Dale Steffey situated the name block in front of the tree. He then stood and faced the audience, looking into the eyes of the surrounding athletes, saying, “You all have a track meet to run; go do it.”\n“This isn’t the end,” Mark Taubensee, a friend of the family, said. “This is going to be newsworthy for quite some time.” \nTaubensee created the Wade Steffey Web site, www.wadesteffey.net, which celebrates Wade Steffey’s life and also details the foundation Wade Steffey’s parents created, he said.\n“It supports education through scholarships and stands for bringing safer campuses about,” Taubensee said. \nThe Web site has a become a personal project and hobby for him.\n“The site has gotten over 20,000 hits,” he said, “which means Wade was loved.”