Biker Santa .... My Brother .... My Hero

Today, December 16th is the anniversary of my Brother's tragic death. A useless senseless act by a motorist that took Steve's life when he was 45 years old.

My hero is my brother, Steven Carroll Harrell ( 1954 - 1999).

Steven was riding his Harley, dressed as Santa, on his way to be Biker Santa at the Christmas Party for the Special Education students at Volunteer High School in Church Hill, Tennessee on December 16, 1999 when he was tragically run over and killed by an inattentive motorist. My Brother Steven was BIKER SANTA - Steven was known and loved as Biker Santa to the Tri Cities Region in Tennessee. He was Santa on a Harley for many years, to many Charities, it was his passion.

The Motorcycle clubs in East Tennessee now ride an annual memorial ride "The Steve Harrell Toy Ride", continuing the work Steve loved. A few years ago I took my Mom to run errands, a very typical and routine trip to the Wal-Mart during the Holiday Season. We walked across the threshold of the entrance, I retrieved a shopping cart from the corral and as I turned, there he was.

A huge bear of a man, he stands about 6'9" tall , Blue Jean Overalls, a worn Black leather jacket, a mountain man beard and carrying an impossibly large bag of toys. A man who always seems uncomfortable around lots of people. My eyes were drawn to his worn leather jacket where there shining like a beacon was a black and white patch in a row of about 6 patches above a larger patch. The larger patch at the bottom read "NEVER FORGOTTEN", the smaller patch, one of the 6, that seemed to grow before my eyes read "BIG STEVE". It is a memorial patch and this man was my brother's friend, his comrade.

I quickly looked to my Mom, and automatically reached for her to offer what support there was in my trembling hand, her eyes were glued on this big gruff looking biker, with a heart of gold, she looked at him with tears brimming, about to spill down her cheeks. He nodded at her and she at him .... and then he was gone with his large bag of toys. Destined to be given out to boys and girls soon by Biker Santa.

My hero is my brother, Steven Carroll Harrell ( 1954 - 1999)..

Steven was:

a Marine (Vietnam Era Veteran),

a Son - First Born son of our Mom and Dad,

a Husband - Married to his wife in 1975 and still happily married (24+ years) at the time of his death,

a Father - to his only child, a son who celebrated his 21st birthday 4 days before his Dad's death,

a Brother - oldest brother of 5 siblings,

an Uncle - to 4 Nephews and 3 neices at the time of his death, with the addition of 1 Great Nephew born in 2004 named Steven, and a new Great Niece born yesterday.

a successful professional who retired early from the corporate world to follow his heart and give back to his community as

a Police Officer (Mt. Carmel, TN) and a photographer.


Many lives were changed in an instant on that cold December day.

My parents lost their beloved son.

My sister-in-law lost her loving husband and best friend.

My nephew, who was just becoming a man, lost his father and mentor.

I lost my best friend, my older brother, my hero.

My younger sisters and brother lost their older brother.

My sons lost their loving uncle and father figure, as I am a single Mom.

My nieces and nephews lost their uncle.

The town of Mt. Carmel, TN lost a loyal civil servant in blue.

The children of the region lost their beloved 'Biker Santa'.

The Motorcyclist lost their friend and comrade 'Big Steve'.

The Marine Corps lost one of their finest one of ' The Few - The Proud'.

The world lost a great humanitarian, generous philanthropist and a wonderful person.

Semper Fi Steve ~ I love you and miss you every day I breathe.

Always your loving sister, Kimberley

Lake Home for sale at Auction in Nashville, Tennessee

We are moving off the lake and auctioning our lakefront home.

Click here for Auction Info

4Br/3Ba 3,792+ Sq Ft on almost 2 Acres of lake front property. Old Hickory Lake, in Beautiful Hendersonville (The city by the lake).

Beautiful Gunite 38' x 18' Inground Salt Water Swimming Pool.

Great Kitchen with Granite counter tops and gas stove and stainless appliances. Beautiful hardwood floors and an amazing Master Suite with Walk In Closet, Dressing Room, and huge bathroom with Whirlpool tub for 2 and separate shower.

Beautiful 34'x10' Covered Boat Dock

also selling personal property ... ExMark zero radius Lawn Mower, EX Go Workhorse Custom Golf Cart, Antiques and furniture.

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Sisters

I am thinking of my sisters today ..... my 2 biological sisters, my 2 sisters-in-law, and my soul sister (Kimberly).

The word/title Sister evokes so many thoughts, memories and joys.

My youngest Sister once gave me a plaque that says "You Are My Sister, My Forever Friend"
I have cherished that plaque of white porcelain with pretty pink roses, it hangs, still to this moment, in my dressing room.

Sisters .... the 2 people in this world who probably know me and my heart better than any other on this Earth.

Those are my biological sisters ... born from the same parents as me and grew up with shared lives. I am the oldest of the 3 and always feel protective towards my sisters.

I also have a soul sister ... a sister by choice, one who was not born to my parents and did not grow up in a shared environment ... but sister's none the less with shared thoughts, passions, loves and lives.


An Amazing display of how we Southern Girls feel about defending our baby sisters, by Ms Julia Sugarbaker, when a young woman made a snarky, degrading comment about her sister Suzzane .... I give you Ms Julia Sugarbaker, Southern Woman Extraordinaire:

Julia: Excuse me, aren't you Marjorie Leigh Winnick, the current Miss Georgia World?
Marjorie: Why, yes I am.
Julia: I'm Julia Sugarbaker, Suzanne Sugarbaker's sister. I couldn't help over hearing part of your conversation.
Marjorie: Well, I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was here.
Julia: Yes, and I gather from your comments there are a couple of other things you don't know, Marjorie. For example, you probably didn't know that Suzanne was the only contestant in Georgia pageant history to sweep every category except congeniality, and that is not something the women in my family aspire to anyway. Or that when she walked down the runway in her swimsuit, five contestants quit on the spot. Or that when she emerged from the isolation booth to answer the question, "What would you do to prevent war?" she spoke so eloquently of patriotism, battlefields and diamond tiaras, grown men wept. And you probably didn't know, Marjorie, that Suzanne was not just any Miss Georgia, she was the Miss Georgia. She didn't twirl just a baton, that baton was on fire. And when she threw that baton into the air, it flew higher, further, faster than any baton has ever flown before, hitting a transformer and showering the darkened arena with sparks! And when it finally did come down, Marjorie, my sister caught that baton, and 12,000 people jumped to their feet for sixteen and one-half minutes of uninterrupted thunderous ovation, as flames illuminated her tear-stained face! And that, Marjorie - just so you will know - and your children will someday know - is the night the lights went out in Georgia!