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Steve Martin has spent the last 16 years teaching English as a second language. He recenty retired from Prairie Crossing Elementary, but he is not done teaching.
Martin’s former colleagues gathered to honor his career at a retirement party in December. He took the opportunity to teach them how to play Simon Says.
“Everybody stand up,” he told the group. “You’re all out. I didn’t say Simon Says.” The crowd laughed an uneasy laughter as the game continued.
“Simon with ALS says touch your head,” Martin continued. “You forgot this is the ALS version! This is as far up as your hands can go,” as he held his hands slightly raised.
Steve Martin now spends his days teaching people about ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, the disease he is battling.
He’s also teaching people about perspective. “I would say that I don’t have ALS. I would say my body has ALS, and my body is just a part of who I am.”
As friends and old co-workers lined up to say their goodbyes, each person walked away with a new perspective on life and death.
“Just live one day at at time. The best you can,” said former co-worker Selma Zamora.
Parties like this aren’t quite what they used to by for Steve. “These social things are really exhausting.”
He is quite ready, however, for the party that’s yet to come. A friend of his expressed “I hope you have the most amazing welcome party ever. Cause I know, if you’re like me, you get to that point where you’ve got as many people there as you have here that you love.”