In Memoriam: A tribute to Dr. Steve Baylin by Dr. Brad Krusky
I miss Steve Baylin. In fact, I am finding it excruciatingly difficult to live without him. We all have family, friends, colleagues - dear, precious and close - that we’ve lost. Some slowly, some suddenly, some tragically. And our experience with the global pandemic has created a whole new sense of loss. But none of it comes close to the feeling I am living with each and every day. An entire chunk of my heart and soul is simply missing. Gone for good. I suppose memories will become helpful in time, but for now, they just drive the dagger of pain in deeper. . Steve left his mark on so many. They knew him as a dedicated and passionate pediatric dentist, an exceptional photographer with a truly unique eye for the “wild” side of life, an avid and experienced skier, a fiercely dedicated man of the links, a man who kept family and friends closer than close, and as a man who imprinted himself on the lives of anyone - both close and casual - who came within his purview. To me, he was - he is - all these things and so very much more, and I find it impossible to describe the massive void his death has left behind. I was a confused, directionless undergrad student when I first met Steve. His insane energy and passion for his career was exactly what I was looking for, and I had the mentor, teacher and coach I needed to help guide me down the path I was meant to be on. Steve had a way of just knowing which people he could inspire, how things could go, what he could add to a situation, a project, or an organization. He did this repeatedly over time. Steve and Debbie, along with their daughter Melissa, have a family history of generosity - simply helping everyone and anyone who required it. Whether it was friends who had lost their way, colleagues needing influence, family seeking support, or any community group or organization that Steve and his family were involved in – there was a seemingly never-ending tank of gas which at times had to have been burdensome to them, but they never stopped sharing of themselves.
