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Randy Cowling, managing editor
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Ken and Janice Steffens
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<b><font color=red>BENCH SITTIN'</b></font color> Ken 'Pappy' Steffens happy to be alive for Father's Day
June 21, 2009 — Ken Steffens knows how to fix things. All his life he has worked on motors making them run smooth and efficient.
Nearly six years ago Ken faced something he couldn’t fix. February 2, 2003 was a normal day at the Steffens’ home.
During the day Ken played with his grandchildren — everything was fine. But in the middle of the night he became ill.
That’s when life altered Ken’s course. His wife, Janice, rushed him to the hospital, where it was discovered he had a serious infection.
Shortly after his admission, he was sent by Life Flight helicopter to Tulsa, where he would spend the next six weeks in an intensive care unit.
“All doubted he would make it,” Janice recalls. “We will do all we can do,” a nurse told her.
It’s been a long and arduous journey for Ken and Janice.
At his weakest Ken weighed only 99 pounds. Today, at 175 pounds he has regained most of the weight he lost.
“Many, many times doctors told us he wouldn’t live,” Janice said.
He has battled pneumonia, a yeast infection in his blood stream, a colon infection, a broken hip and a variety of other infections.
“It took every muscle in his body for him to survive,” Janice said.
“I lost about two years out of my life,” he said.
These days Ken is mostly confined to a wheelchair, but hopes with the help of a Home Health therapist to be able to soon walk again.
Once a strapping auto mechanic, now Ken needs assistance from his wheelchair to get to the parallel bars in the couple’s house where he is re-learning how take new steps on his life’s journey.
“I’m gonna walk,” he said. Each week he makes progress, becoming a bit more steady and stronger.
“I’m going to walk. It’s not going to be long,” Ken recently told his therapist.
Ken and Janice have two daughters, Carla Prather and Kendra Allen.
Ken was born in Pryor and moved to Claremore in 1959.
For many years he worked as the service manager at Kissee Ford, where he retired in 1995. He didn’t really retire. He opened his own garage behind his house.
Not a week goes by that someone doesn’t call him to ask how to fix something.
Janice said Ken’s mind is crystal clear and he can usually help walk them through whatever problem they have.
No one believes is 80 years old.
Now he has replaced his time working on a stopped up carburator with playing with is five grandchildren.
Ask Ken about his granddaughters and a gleam comes to his eyes.
“His girls are his life,” Janice said. He is their Pappy.
Despite the lengthy hospitalizations and rehabilitations, Ken is upbeat.
“I don’t know what purpose the Lord has for me,” he said. “I am sure with the help of the Lord that’s what I am planning on doing.”
The Steffens family treasures each day they have together. Every birthday, each holiday is special. On Father’s Day Pappy’s girls are thankful he is still there to play with them.
“He’s just a miracle,” Janice remarks. “Everyday we are with him is a little more special.”
Happy Father’s Day Pappy.
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