Unthinkable, impossible tragedy. Steve Dellinger gone

[joeydb]

Originally Posted by satan's twin

Last year at this time Steve and I went to London with our friend Kevin Marko where we joined up with Brockguy to go to Royal Ascot. The day we arrived was a rare glorious sunny Saturday and it was also the day England was to play its first World Cup soccer match against Italy. It seemed as though every person in London was in a pub by late afternoon and half in the bag hours before the match began. My daughter had spent her previous year of college there and during my visis to see her, I became familiar with several choice watering holes. In Whitechapel, I knew of a pretty rough pub that was a slam dunk for providing idiot behavior from its patrons and maximum laughs for us. Smokers there can only drink and smoke on the street next to the pubs which meant the pub was empty with a couple hundred people hugging its walls outside. Once inside Dellinger spotted a girl face painting the St. George Cross ( pale white base under a bright red cross-a national symbol in England) onto the face of damn near every person in the bar. He couldn't wait to get his face painted. Unfortunately for him, I got to her first, and with a ten pound tip, I gave her specific instructions for how Steve's face flag was to turn out. She primped and painted him for about ten minutes and sent him back to us. Fortunately, there were no mirrors readily available for him to savor the art. We immediately encouraged him to step outside onto the sidewalk, start screaming "we're gonna win tonight" and high-five with everyone out there. With a half dozen Heinekens already stoking him, we really didn't have to encourage our boy all that much. He bolted out of the pub and into the center of that mob screaming and yelling like a banshee about how "we're winning tonight. That was easily one of the roughest, nastiest looking assemblages of ghouls iin all of London. Some were even men! Instead of the enthusiasic greetings he anticipated, Dellinger got pummeled with forearm smashes, elbows and body shots. And that was only half as bad as the verbal abuse. One pass through that gauntlet was all he was up for before returning to the comfort and solitude on the barstool adjacent to us. His first comment was " those f...ers really hate Americans." Apparently, they weren't real fond of Italians either. We pulled him into the bathroom to look into the mirror to see the Italian flag painted across his face that we had substituted onto his mug. We howled when he started screeching at us. But just for a minute. Nobody loved a joke more than him, even when he was the target. Keep raising hell brother. I'll miss ya.

Awesome story. Thanks for posting it.

[TheSpyder]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SL9ZYD4omw

[Scav]

The thing that I will remember most about Steve would be his laugh, once he got going, it was priceless and it would make you laugh along with him.

While a great person to be around, he was also about as blunt as possible, which was very refreshing in the days of political correctness. He could be going on a tangent about something ridiculous going on and then a minute later he is having a serious conversation with me about life.

I'll be making the trek to pay my respects tomorrow night, for someone way to young to have gone, and if there is ever a positive thing to something like death, I'd like to think that maybe this happened to provide a wake up call to his friends and anyone that knew him that the next day isn't a guarantee and hug your loved ones.

[dagolfer33]

This is devastating news.....heavy-hearted feelings going out to everyone here. RIP Dell

[Kitan]

Wow....RIP Dellinger...

Didn't communicate with him much but seemingly was an awesome guy who went well before his time...

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

Originally Posted by TheSpyder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SL9ZYD4omw

thanks for this..mac is in the frame abit also..dt at its best..

[Alabama Stakes]

I hope he went between the first and second race, and was alive in the double. RIP

[Gate Dancer]

Loved watching the video from Arlington. I only experienced Dell through this forum but can feel the love from each of you and feel I know him a little better. I'll be at Arlington on July 4th and will raise a glass to him before the first race.

[fpsoxfan]

Very sad news. I never had the opportunity to meet him, but after reading all of these very nice comments about the type of person he was, I really wish I had. It certainly makes me appreciate even more the time we have with all of our friends and loved ones. Life is way too short, and he was taken way too soon, but it sure looks like he lived it to the fullest. I will toast to him on Opening Day. My condolences to all of you that knew him.

[FATPIANO]

RIP, you will be missed by many