The Steven Leonard Knox!
Story from his Brother
The Steven Leonard Knox Foundation was founded by Steven’s brother, Jaime Knox in 2007. Steven (and he will be addressed as Steven because he hated being called Steve) was born in Fresno, California on February 3, 1972. He lived a wonderful life. He always saw the positive side of things even during the most difficult times.
Throughout his life, he made sure to make the most of everything. Steven consistently challenged himself by never shying away from anything. During his early years, he loved playing hockey in Alaska. When he learned the family was moving to Colorado he cried out to his Mother, “Peggy”, “Hockey is my life! I don’t wanna move!” This was a perfect example of how much he submerged himself into doing what he loved to do. He did everything with the same amount of passion and desire. When I say everything that is exactly what I mean. He did everything because he always did what he wanted to do. He didn’t live for the material elements the world presented; he lived to do what he felt was the best for him and that carried over to the people around him.
After moving to Colorado, Steven and I were taken to a local super cross race. Having experienced riding in the past a little, it didn’t take much for the ever present desire to overwhelm Steven again. Before you knew it, Steven was dawning the leathers and making laps as he started off on his 1984 Kawasaki KX 60cc. Even though his face was covered with his helmet, the glow from his constant smile would always shine through.
Steven wasn’t the smoothest rider, and often the craziest. Or so I thought, but I later realized that is was his knack for creating and overcoming his fears which many of us, still to this day, have been unable to accomplish. Steven would often go riding in groups and he would be the first to try a difficult jump. Until Steven tried the jump, it would most likely go unchallenged.
A couple years later, the Knox family was relocated to Southern California. It was difficult at first as our father was having a rough time locating a job. So, we ended up living in our truck. Even through this time, Steven was the one who cracked jokes and remained our voice of reason. He always had a positive attitude. Nothing would stop him…nothing.
Eventually, our father found employment and we found ourselves in Huntington Beach, California. Steven loved the beach and it was here that he encountered the wonderful world of surfing. Huntington Beach provides one of the best breaks in Southern California and for Steven to be living so close to the beach and this new found energy was just an incredible opportunity for him to spread his wings even further.
Steven learned to surf and loved it, but it didn’t quite take place of his longing to get on the bike again. It wasn’t long until he received a bike on his birthday. Before you knew it, he was riding again. He quickly learned how to handle the brand new white 1985 YZ 80cc that he got. Steven was a little vertically challenged, never quite hitting the 5’8” mark, and that pretty much stuck with him his entire life. Anyway, he was always the smallest rider, but that meant he could only go faster and jump higher because he weighed less than everyone else. And he did.
There always seemed to be a certain amount of respect he gave to me as the older brother. No matter what was transpiring, Steven looked up to me and it sure made me feel good. As time moved on, we found ourselves moving again to a little town north of San Diego called Fallbrook in the heart of Avocado orchids and land, land that was ripe for the taking of creating motocross tracks and endless riding.
Steven hardly ever missed a day of riding. Needless to say, he was getting better all the time. I hate to say, but I will never forget the day he passed me while racing 250cc at a southern California race track called Perris Raceway. Yeah, he blew passed me. Remember, he was always small and for Steven to now be riding a 250cc was incredible. He was 15 now and had to use wooden blocks on the starting line. His only dilemma was if he fell, then he had a difficult time of getting the bike upright and trying to start it.
As time went on, Steven got progressively better at the sport of Motocross and was known by everyone as a great person with a very aggressive style that often left him alone at the front of the pack. Steven was friends with the best that have ever ridden, Jeremy McGrath, Ryan Hughes, Travis Preston, Phil and Randy Lawrence and many others that any avid motocross fan would know.
Tragically, in 1989, after racing the complete amateur racing circuit and racing at a new level, our father found himself in trouble with the law. Steven, our mother and I, were just arriving in Oklahoma for an amateur national in Ponca City, when we got the call. Our father was being arrested for embezzlement. We were all shocked, especially Steven. He wasn’t able to race. He was so looking forward to the excitement of a new environment outside of what he was used to in Southern California. We turned back without racing and never looked back.
During the next year, Steven and I had to sell our motorcycles, our vehicles and pretty much everything that attached us to the motocross world. Steven was devastated. What would he do now? The three of us were living together in a small house in Rancho Cucamonga, California. It wasn’t the greatest place in the world and only we lived there for a short time.
That same year, I got a job working in cable construction and met a friend who was an excellent surfer and snowboarder. So, this is how Steven was introduced to the world of snowboarding. The first time Steven went snowboarding with us we had to rent a board for him. (Just so you know, the first snowboard Steven ever bought was for me, on my birthday. He really wanted it, but that’s just how Steven was…) He could barely stand up before catching an edge and toppling over. But, that didn’t deter him from finally gaining a little speed and hitting the first jump he could manage to come across. Crash and burn. Steven got right back up and tried again. The bindings on his rental board broke and he hurt his ankle. We loaded up the truck and rushed right back to the rental place and I let them have it. No one and I mean no one can mess with my brother!
Then we moved again to Anaheim where we lived in a small apartment. I joined the Army and Steven wasn’t excited about that to say the least. For the first time in both of our lives, we would be separated.
Steven took a rough road as he was exposed to the terrible world of drugs and alcohol. As I was performing my duties in the US Army, Steven was making bad friends and finding himself in a miserable funk. After about a year and a half of living this life, he came to visit me where I was stationed in Germany. He came with his then girlfriend and I have to tell you, it was one of the best times in my life. It was just a pleasure to see my brother after being away from him nearly a year and a half. We did nothing except spend time and laugh together.
Steven later found himself living back in Alaska with our paternal father, Ray Jensen. Ray hadn’t spent much time with either of us throughout our childhood and this was good for Steven to get to know his real dad. He lived there for a couple years before moving out on his own in a little town north of Anchorage, Alaska known as Alyeska. It was a quaint little town that was surrounded by endless mountains. Steven took to the snow covered mountains like he took the to the dirt on his bike. He felt the great open air and the freedom of gliding through fresh powder and it took him to a place that he’d never experienced before.
Over the next decade, Steven became very proficient with his snowboarding skills. Completing the Alyeska downhill in 13th place and pulling off tricks you would see in magazines. Steven’s favorite was the “Rodeo 720”.
He told me stories of how he would hike up the mountains with his friend Travis and it would take them three days. They would strap their supplies and boards to their packs and start hiking up the mountain. Each night they would stop over in the Ranger stations to relax and regenerate themselves for the next day’s climb. At first I didn’t believe him, (you know, big fish stories), but then I saw a picture of him taken by his friend. He had hiked so far up this mountain that you could see the clouds below him. Amazing! He would say that the three day hike was so worth it, because the one full day it took to ride down the freshly powdered mountain that hadn’t seen any human contact, was worth every single step.
In 2003, I found myself in the midst of a terrible divorce. So hurt and torn, it was Steven that relocated from his life in Alaska, to come to my side in Las Vegas, Nevada. Just that in itself should let you understand the amazing character of Steven, but believe me there is so much more. I can’t tell what I would have done without his support and love. His was a brick and a pretty amazing little brother.
It wasn’t long until he met Joan…who would later become his wife and mother of his child. They got along great. I decided to move to the Caribbean to take a job on the water and leave all the sad thoughts of Vegas behind me. Steven and his new girlfriend decided to move to Reno where they settled into a nice little home and made a beautiful daughter Cailly Jade. What an amazing creation. Steven was the best daddy I had ever seen. Nothing could get between him and his number one prize. He was definitely a happy daddy. Even when he went to get his season pass, he made sure to have Cailly in the photo as he carried her in a pack on his back. No matter where the family went, Cailly was right there.
Steven had become a good carpenter and was moving up the ranks. He would soon become a journeymen carpenter that meant he would be getting a raise and also getting better jobs. He, Cailly and his wife Joan were constantly going up to Lake Tahoe kayaking, or riding his new dirt bike and enjoying life to the fullest… typical Steven.
He was working up at Squaw Valley refinishing the new lodge when life as we know changed forever. On the morning of August 23, 2005 at 6:57a.m. Steven was riding his motorcycle to the jobsite up at Squaw Valley. He was attempting to pass a vehicle when a truck came in the opposite direction. According to the police report, the car next to him slammed on the brakes the same time Steven did and he had nowhere to go. He was hit head on by the truck and pronounced dead upon impact. Thank God he didn’t suffer.
Steven had just learned his wife was one month pregnant with their second child. Needless to say, he was very happy. In keeping with Steven’s legacy, Joan named their new baby girl using Steven’s initials…Savannah Lynn Knox. She looked so much like her daddy that our mom made a picture that was digitally enhanced to have both Steven’s and Savannah’s baby pictures next to one another and they look like twins. Amazing!
Now, Joan has two children that she is working very hard to take care of and I can’t even fathom how difficult that must be. So, keeping in my mind what my brother would like me to do, I want to use the powerful feelings I have for Steven and his family and find ways to help other families that may be going through the same things.
What happens after you lose a loved one? Well, one thing is for sure, Steven would want you to throw your leg over your bike, hike up a mountain, paddle out to the surf and take a moment looking at your environment then…go for it.