Remembering Sgt. Randall Antonio “Steve-O” Stevenson USMC, who passed away in his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Tuesday April 5, 2016. Randall was born April 2, 1991. Although he liked to have mischievous fun, he always considered how things affected others and reacted kindly, such as refusing as a child to eat turtle eggs when he realized they were endangered. He was distance runner, setting two school records, and a lover of both is Salvadorian and Celtic heritages. Shortly before graduation in 2009, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and entered active duty in August, 2009. He said he had known he would be a Marine like his Dad since he was four years old. He went through recruit training at MCRD, San Diego, and then basic and advanced infantry training at Camp Pendleton, California. After an intensely-selective process, he was sent to Reconnaissance School and then was stationed in Okinawa, Japan in 3rd Recon Bn. He trained as a Paratrooper at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011, where he saw frequent combat in the Sangin Valley of Helmand Province and earned a reputation for always doing more than his share as a SAW gunner and later Assistant Team Leader. After the tour, he was transferred to the 3rd Force Recon Company and trained as a Scout-Sniper in Hawaii. He was promoted to Sergeant just as he completed his active duty in 2013. He often said, “I never shot a round at anyone I did not know was an enemy combatant. I can face God for every round I fired.” After active duty, Randall returned to Baton Rouge where he studied business and hoped to become an entrepreneur. He had the ability to find humor in situations, such as when he was changing a flat tire it began to rain and he responded by laughing. He was dedicated, loyal and passionate, whether it involved running track, his family, his girlfriend, his Marine brothers, his friends, or the ideals which governed his life. Although usually easy-going and humble, when his values were challenged, he inflexibly stood his ground. Although very gregarious and loved by many, he struggled with PTSD, likely from percussions in combat. He was tender-hearted, generous, and quick to apologize if he realized he had wronged someone. He saw in each person a potential friend, intrinsic value and someone deserving respect, unless they proved otherwise. He was quick to share what he had with family, friends and strangers, often helping the homeless he met on the streets. Even if he did not give them money, he recognized them to acknowledge their dignity as a human instead of ignoring them. A few months before his death, he saw someone stuck on a train track, left his vehicle, pulled her to safety just before the train destroyed her car, made sure she was OK and left to get to classes before emergency people arrived. He is missed, but the hole he has left in the world is an invitation to those who knew him to let love for others reach out and touch suffering wherever it is found.
#22toomany#OurHeroes are #NeverForgotten
Randall’s memorial video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wYGbThqOqY
