The following is excerpted from a December 2000 letter written by a Pazur family friend from Avon, Ohio, who also taught Steve Spanish at Holy Trinity Catholic Grade School there. Her letter recalls  how Steve's former classmates found out about his unexpected death.

...None of us wanted to believe the news which circulated and went unconfirmed for days. Neither teenagers nor adults really wanted to have Stephen's passing confirmed.

I felt that perhaps you would like to hear how many friends and acquaintances mourned his passing here. Classmates began calling each other on Saturday and Sunday to try to find someone who could confirm that his passing wasn't true. They went to each other's homes, called each other and hoped it wouldn't be true. Tears were shed in Rini Rego's and McDonald's by former classmates. At St. Augustine, Beth related how the Holy Trinity girls looked at each other and cried, saying, "Did you hear..." Janet and classmates at Elyria Catholic all openly consoled each other. Students at Avon called my girls and talked about the days they shared at Holy Trinity. Beth talked to Gwen at Westlake. Beth remembered where Steve had sat in church for masses. Janet had the same number as he and shared group work with him. Remember the old pigskin math?

Everyone has their memories. Some teens carried old photos and talked about parties they shared with him. They mentioned artwork they had kept of his. I noticed the Confirmation dove drawn by him on the Confirmation booklet. Memories flooded back of his ever present question in Spanish class, "How do you say cheese crackers in Spanish?"

Everyone has their special memories of a very precious child. I was wearing Beth's Adidas jacket today, and she pointed out to me that Steve had a green one like her black one, and for some reason wanted to switch the zipper pulls on them. And here I am zipping up a jacket with his help. These are just trivial memories of a life we all shared just a tiny bit of.

Many parents called each other and we all wanted to have a mass for Steve. I have since learned that...there would be an opportunity for Steve's acquaintances to get together on All Soul's Day (November 2) at a 7 p.m. mass...This Thursday mass brought together many of Steve's former classmates who are presently attending many different schools...Following the mass, the congregation was invited to the rectory for a social...The priest's house has now been transformed into a lovely meeting place, and the teens congregated in one large room, parishioners in another, and the punch and cookies were in a newly renovated kitchen.

I thought you would like to know the teens who came together that night to sit in the pews they had shared before as a class. We had tried to call everyone in the class and suggested they sit together. It was a weeknight, and I'm sure many had commitments. I felt that this was a nice tribute to Steve. Present from Avon High School were Danny J., Tammy S., Susie S., Maria T., Michelle D. and Katie F.; from North Ridgeville, Ashley C.; from Magnificat, Angela D.; from Elyria Catholic, Susan K. and Janet P.; from St. Joseph Academy, Christina V.; from St. Ignatius, Kevin V.; from St. Augustine, Beth P.; from Avon Lake High School, Rob D. Others who learned of Steve's death or mourned the day of his funeral included Stacey W., Terri S. and graduate Kristin C. from St. Augustine, Ron P., Joe K. John T., Paul R., Brian B., Jimmy D. from Elyria Catholic, Mary K., Meredith F. from Magnificat, and Jake S. All of these teens have been praying for Steve. So many lives were touched by Steve.