Spring/Summer 2000 One Year Later - Wrestling Without Stephen Tsiorvas

Spring/Summer 2000 - One Year Later

Wrestling Without Stephen Tsiorvas
by Amy Codispoti

When he was 1 year old, Stephen Tsiorvas was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. The arthritis manifested itself in Stephen’s legs, preventing him from walking for four months. However, this gregarious baby grew up and overcame these adversities, developing into a tall, lean and muscular 10 year old. No one suspected Stephen’s disabilities. His friends thought of him as one of the toughest kids in the neighborhood and Ken Erickson, Stephen’s Physical Education teacher, says he was the strongest and most athletic fourth grader at Roosevelt Elementary School.

"I never saw a sign of the rheumatoid arthritis or asthma in my class," Erickson says. "Stephen was a very aggressive and enthusiastic kid. When we’d run laps, Stephen was right up in front. He excelled in P.E. and was very good at football; he was definitely above average. Stephen was a fighter."

Chris Kwaitowski, a friend and neighbor of Stephen’s, remembers Stephen’s spontaneity and strange sense of humor.

"And he was very, very strong," Chris recalls. "He’d say, ‘Hey, punch me in the stomach’ and I’d say, ‘Really?’ and he’d say, ‘Yeah.’ I’d punch him in the stomach and he’d just start laughing."

Stephen loved to roughhouse and wrestle. At 95 pounds, Stephen was one of the bigger boys in the neighborhood; the only boy bigger than him was his friend Wade King. The children in the neighborhood say that Wade and Stephen enjoyed taunting each other and provoking playful fights.

"Wade and Stephen would always be on the ground, wrestling," Chris says.

Erickson says that although Stephen was never malicious or mean-hearted, the boy often found himself in the middle of boisterous activity.

"He was very involved," Erickson says. "Stephen might get knocked in the head by a basketball coming off the backboard, or he might get knocked over, but you’d never see him complain. He’s just get back up, dust himself off and get back into it. He’d redirect his pain or upsetness back into the game. He was a tough, tough kid and wouldn’t quit."

Behind his tough demeanor, Stephen was a gentle and kindhearted boy. Erickson says Stephen would go out of his way to help a kid who was having a hard time and would never put someone down if they weren’t operating at the same level he was.

"Stephen was a happy kid and very accommodating. He was very popular among his classmates," Erickson says.

Unlike many 10 year olds, Stephen knew how to do his laundry and knew how to cook. His favorite things to cook were Top Ramen, scrambled eggs, macaroni and cheese, tuna fish sandwiches and quesadillas.

"Stephen made good sandwiches. They looked gross, but then you’d take a bite and it was good," Nathan Kruzan, Stephen’s best friend, says excitedly as he pops up onto his knees. Nathan smiles, remembering all the tasty lunches Stephen made him while they were playing.

Apart from being a great cook, Stephen was a kind friend to Nathan. Nathan’s face grows serious as he relates a time when some kids at school kicked a ball into the bathroom. Nathan remembers kicking the ball out of the bathroom into the hall where it smashed into a kid’s face who was wearing glasses. The teacher shamed him, and all of the kids ostracized him.

"I didn’t have any friends for quite a while. The only kids that would talk to me were this kid named Elliot and Stephen," Nathan says. "Stephen was really nice to me."

The boys were immediately bonded as friends and for a while they were closer to each other than they were to their own families. Nathan says Stephen felt more like a brother than a friend.

Taking credit for being the one who taught Stephen how to wrestle, Nathan laughs to himself.

"I almost wish I hadn’t" Nathan comments. "Once he picked me up and threw me across the room against the wall, and that actually hurt."

Besides wrestling, the boys loved to construct little indoor forts with blankets. Nathan used his favorite "blanky," named Babo, and Stephen would use his favorite multi-colored quilt. Staying up until midnight, the boys talked and told stories. When morning came, Nathan says they could hardly stand to say goodbye. The week before Stephen died, Nathan stayed the night at Stephen’s house.

"We stayed up late talking, and I asked him ‘Who’s your best friend in the whole universe?’ and Stephen said, ‘An alien.’ I said, ‘But you don’t know any aliens!’ and Stephen looked at me and said, ‘I guess it’s you, then."

Nathan stops talking momentarily to run off to his bedroom. He reappears with a large tub of Lego-like pieces, including some action figures. His big eyes reveal his excitement as his hands busily dig through the various objects. He pulls out an action figure – a 6-inch tall, multi-colored knight. Nathan looks at the toy, saying that this was Stephen’s favorite.

"Actually, this is the first time I have touched this since ..." Nathan says, his voice trailing off. He pauses after looking at the knight again, and sets it down on the floor. Quietly, Nathan resumes digging through the tub of toys.

This past year has been difficult for Nathan, coping with the loss of his best friend. His mother Teri says Nathan is just now coming out of a deep depression. The summer Stephen died, Nathan suffered from serious anxiety attacks. Although he is doing better now, Nathan is still dealing with the harsh realization that his best friend is no longer with him.

Up until the very end of his life, Stephen tried to put his friends first. His mother, Katherine Dalen, told reporters that on June 10, 1999, Stephen tried to save his friend Wade King by pushing him into the creek, and then jumped in after him in an attempt to save their lives.

Stephen Tsiorvas will never be forgotten. In a memory booklet Stephen’s classmates created in honor of their friend, he is remembered as an incredible athlete and an all around goofy guy. He is remembered as someone who liked to roughhouse and someone who always put his friends first.

Spring/Summer 2000 - One Year Later

Wrestling Without Stephen Tsiorvas by Amy Codispoti

Wrestling Without Stephen Tsiorvas
by Amy Codispoti