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30 Apr Stephen’s Story
As one, we rise.
As one, we listen.
Stephen brings something into a room you don’t miss.
It’s not loud. It’s not spoken. But people feel it right away—his openness, his gratitude, the way he connects with others.
Stephen brings something into a room that people recognize immediately.
Not something you hear. Something you feel.
Stephen’s story begins long before his cancer diagnosis. He was born without lenses in his eyes, starting life without sight. Surgery came later, bringing vision, but not easily. Light hurt. School wasn’t available the way it was for most people. Life didn’t follow a clear path. Over time, he learned to adjust and keep moving forward.
Years later, he went to the hospital struggling to breathe. That’s when he was told he had cancer.
“I remember I was not scared or worried. My life was going to change. And I wanted to face it bravely.”
The surgery saved his life. It also took his voice. But that’s not what defines him.
Today, Stephen communicates in different ways—on paper, through writing, and through the way he connects with people. He takes time. He pays attention. And people understand him.
His story didn’t unfold in isolation. It took a network of people working together to help him move forward.
In Klamath, organizations including Sky Lakes, Chiloquin Open Door, and Klamath Basin Behavioral Health worked together to help Stephen establish the documents he needed, including a birth certificate, so he could access housing support. With guidance through that process and coordination with local housing partners, he was able to secure a home in town where he knows his neighbors and builds connections wherever he goes.
“I really feel it when I say, ‘Thank you.’ They see it. And feel it too.”
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As one, we persevere.
When a life-changing event happens, it can spark a need for shared support—and a group of survivors stepped forward to create community. The Stroke Survivors Support Group, supported by the Sky Lakes Wellness Center, is proof that recovery doesn’t end after treatment. It continues in shared spaces and open conversations, in the exchange of stories and support.
“One of the words that’s kept me going is persevere. Don’t stop.”