Remembering a former Eldorado Sundevil

Friends, right after I posted my last message regarding Eldorado High School's 1985 State championship victory, I scrolled through some past news from the Las Vegas Review-Journal and read some very sad news about a young man who lived life to the fullest every day.

And I knew this young man for a short period of time too.

Duane Stephens, a 1988 grad of Eldorado High School who played basketball for the Sundevils under his father, Sherrill Stephens, passed away on Valentine's Day at the age of 34. I don't know how he died, and I would prefer not to know how he died.

Believe me, my jaw dropped when I read the news. Duane was a great guy, a wonderful person who lend his hand to everyone he knew; his friends, family, fellow classmates, and so on, and he was also very active in the issues that were the topic of discussion in the City of Las Vegas, regarding growth, water supply, better roads, and so on.

For me, I remember a bright and talented young man who was a very good basketball player for the Sundevils, playing for a talented and well-known basketball coach who won state championships. He got along with everyone, like I said before, and eventually went on to become an attorney in recent years.

I am going to say this and leave this issue alone: I want to pause to remember Duane, and offer my deepest condolences to Coach Stephens and the rest of his family. During my time at Eldorado, Sherrill was a father figure to me, a wonderful human being who absolutely DOES NOT deserve this. Duane was Coach Stephens' only son; he does have two daughters however and several grandchildren, including Duane's son John.

For those of you who went to Eldorado and has had Coach Stephens as a football coach, basketball coach, track and field coach, U.S. History teacher, dean of students, etc. I encourage you to offer your condolences to him as well, especially to those who had Duane as a classmate too.

Thanks for your time.