Dothan Angel

“It changed me,” says Steve. “Used to, I’d hear about kids with cancer and think, ‘That’s awful,’ and just go on about my day. Not after Cody died.”

Dothan, Alabama—three years ago today. The television is playing in Steve Hardwick’s living room. It’s one of those home-shopping channels.

Steve is the fella in the recliner. He has a perpetual smile. White goatee. He is the kind of man who parks a Harley in the garage.

The television advertises a KitchenAid mixer. A miracle-appliance made for bread, pizza crust, pasta, sausage, baklava, schnitzel, pedicures, cutting residential lawns, filing taxes, and whipping up poundcake.

Steve turns the volume down.

“Betcha I could make a few cakes with that thing and raise a few hundred bucks for Cody Hayes,” he says.

Cody Hayes.

The boy from Ashford. Seventeen. A hunter, Jeep-rider, a ‘Bama-cheering, camo-hat-wearing kid with leukemia.

It was an impulsive thought.

“I’d never even met Cody,” Steve tells me. “Only saw pictures on Facebook.”

Steve’s idea was simple. Sell poundcakes; raise money.

He bought the mixer. Then, the thick-framed man baked one hundred cakes. He titled the fundraising effort, “Cakes for Cody.”

He hoped to drum up few hundred bucks. But it didn’t go as planned. He raised nine grand.

Then Cody passed.

“It changed me,” says Steve. “Used to, I’d hear about kids with cancer and think, ‘That’s awful,’ and just go on about my day. Not after Cody died.”

No.

Steve started more fundraisers: Cakes for Libby. Cakes for Conner. Cakes for Paresia. Cakes for Paisley. The list is long. But not long enough for Steve.

He says, “These families need money bad, I hear lotta sad stories. One parent told me they almost lost their home.”

Late one night, while Steve sat in his chair, he received news of another cancer-death. A girl. It stabbed at him.

“Thought to myself, ‘I’m tired of people forgetting about these kids who die.’”

So, he launched a different kind of fundraiser. The next day, he met with city commissioners, county officials, and the mayor. This was bigger than poundcake. It was the largest scheme he’d ever had.

And he saw it realized.

Today, everyone in Circle City can see it, too. It’s in Westgate Park. A tall statue of a winged cherub—arms outstretched. They call her the “Angel of Hope.”

She is dedicated to anyone who has lost a loved one. A reminder to those who mourn, that the departed are not forgotten. Not now, not ever.

Steve holds candlelight vigils. Swarms attend. People pray. People touch the statue and whisper the names of their children.

“You know,” says Steve. “I meet all sorts’a people who say, ‘Why doesn’t God DO something for kids with cancer?’ And I just wanna tell’em: ‘He DID do something. He MADE you.”

Well, that’s not all God made. He also made KitchenAid mixers and poundcake. He made Cody Hayes, Libby Claire, Molly, Morgan, Isaiah, Bailey, Haley, Corbyn, Ike, and Kayla.

And I’ll be damned if he didn’t make Steve Hardwick with his own two hands.

17 comments

  1. Susie Munz - March 23, 2017 1:17 pm

    Another example of the difference one person can make! (We lost a 4 month old grandson – named Cody, to Spinal Muscular Distrophy)

    Reply
  2. Peggy Black - March 23, 2017 1:20 pm

    You go straight to the heart every time. Thank you.

    Reply
  3. Michael Bishop - March 23, 2017 2:20 pm

    Everyone has lost a loved one. That statue commemorates us all, and if it gives comfort and hope to anyone who beholds or kneels before it, it does exactly what Steve wished for it to do and declares him, as we all should do, an instrument of God’s peace. God bless him. And you for telling his story.

    Reply
  4. Judy - March 23, 2017 2:55 pm

    To think that one God inspired person could do this is amazing. Just goes to show ya.

    Reply
  5. Kaye Wells - March 23, 2017 3:03 pm

    We live in Dothan, and I appreciate this post very much. There are still good people reaching out to hurting people.

    Reply
  6. Sam Hunneman - March 23, 2017 6:22 pm

    Please God, make some Steves for Congress.
    Amen

    Reply
  7. LYNN JOHNSON - March 29, 2017 5:22 pm

    THANK U STEVE FOR WHAT U R DOING I LOST MY DAUGHTER ON MAY 27, 2014 WITH KIDNEY PROBLEMS AND THEN I JUST FOUND OUT ON FEBRUARY 2, 2017 THAT I HAVE CERVICAL CANCER I JUST WANT 2 THANK U FOR EVERYTHING THAT U R DOING FOR THESE KIDS
    LYNN JOHNSON

    Reply
    • Steve Hardwick - April 24, 2021 10:06 pm

      Lynn I pray you are doing ok now

      Reply
  8. Nancy Kane - May 23, 2017 9:48 am

    Emily and Kenzie

    Reply
  9. Ben Smith - May 23, 2017 10:41 am

    Awesome. Makes you think we need a lots more people like Steve. God Bless all the children and people who have cancer.

    Reply
  10. Steve Baccus - May 23, 2017 12:03 pm

    That’s the good stuff right there. Thank you for sharing, brother. Keep on keeping on!

    Reply
  11. Emily - May 23, 2017 2:00 pm

    Thank you Sean.

    Reply
  12. Heidi - May 23, 2017 3:10 pm

    There IS good in this sad, broken world and his name is Steve ❤️

    Reply
  13. Charaleen Wright - April 15, 2019 3:58 am

    Reply
  14. Steve Hardwick - July 21, 2020 2:02 am

    ❤️❤️❤️🤗sending prayers

    Reply
  15. Steve Hardwick - July 21, 2020 2:03 am

    ❤️❤️

    Reply
  16. Gloria Lampert - September 1, 2020 2:39 pm

    What a heart he has!! I can’t even begin to tell you how it blessed my heart to see the basket of flowers placed at the angel with my son’s name, Craig McDaniel, who died from cancer. My heart and soul will never be the same but blessings like what Steve does goes a long way to help. Thank you again Steve, not only for what you did in honor of my baby but all the babies. Prayers and virtual hugs to all the parents, i surely know the pain.💙

    Reply

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