STEVEN GERARD MOZIAN
Steven Gerard Mozian, 32, passed away on Saturday, July 13, 2013 at Florida Hospital Altamonte in Altamonte Springs, Florida surrounded by his family. His Warrior Heart fought the ravaging infection in his lungs throughout his 73 day hospitalization until his body could finally take no more.
He was born on September 14, 1980 in Fayetteville, North Carolina to Steven Arthur and Karen Logan Mozian and was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when he was 6 months old.
“Throughout my entire childhood I thought there was always something different. Turns out I was right. But my family, consisting of a traditional family for the time, Mom, Dad, and an older sister, never made me feel different. They encouraged me to have no limitations, never stopping me from playing basketball, baseball, soccer, roller blading, running, and playing the saxophone for 8+ years.”
As an Army “brat”, Steven grew up in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Fort Dix, New Jersey and Raleigh, North Carolina. He graduated from Millbrook Senior High School in Raleigh, North Carolina where he amazed the world by being a member of their award winning marching band playing the saxophone. In his own words… “I use the word "play" loosely as my skill level was questionable…”
Steven attended Western Carolina University, in Cullowhee, North Carolina where he was a member of his beloved fraternity, the Pi Chapter of Sigma Epsilon.
Steven obtained his Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice from Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina, where he was a Volunteer Firefighter for the Buies Creek Fire Department, and was an intern at the Lillington North Carolina Police Department.
His longest relationship was with a red head named Lucille Ball, as episodes of I Love Lucy were always a mandate anytime he was hospitalized throughout his life…that was until he met the love of his life, Amy Lee, outside his apartment one day at Campbell University.
Steven and Amy relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina where he indulged his love of gadgets as he worked for Verizon Wireless and Alltel for several years. During this time his patriotic passion drove him to volunteer alongside his father with the Patriot Guard Riders, as well as with the Semper Fi Community Task Force in Huntsville, Alabama for their Heroes Week event. In 2012, Steven and Amy relocated to Lakeland, Florida, both working for Masipak North America.
Throughout his life, Steven struggled with publicly acknowledging that he had Cystic Fibrosis although he had volunteered at various events and fundraised over the years. In February of 2013, he took the significant step of announcing he had Cystic Fibrosis on Facebook to all of his friends, and began a website/blog about himself and CF.
His fear of commitment to anything other than his political opinions, Duck Dynasty episodes, butterscotch pudding, and his beloved dog Bailey was also conquered in March of 2013, when he proposed to the woman that had stood by him through thick & thin and multiple hospitalizations over the past 8 years, Amy Lee.
He then threw himself into fundraising mode for the 2013 Lakeland CF Great Strides Walk becoming one of the highest fundraising individuals, only to have his personal participation thwarted by illness. His fiancée Amy and Team Jaws Jackson walked in his honor. Team Jaws Jackson was the team that included a Lakeland Regional Hospital nurse that had been on duty the night Steven had been admitted to the hospital whose 9 year old nephew also had Cystic Fibrosis. In Steven’s words from his website, “While speaking with the nurse I told her that there is hope for her nephew and she was looking at the proof. Every year a breath is added so never give up.”
Steven is survived by his fiancée, Amy Lee of Lakeland, Florida; his sister, Melissa Mozian of Lakeland, Florida; his parents, Karen & Steve Mozian of Madison, Alabama; his grandmother, Virginia Chadik Mozian of Ardsley, New York; and many devoted aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends throughout the world.
A Memorial/ Celebration of Life service will be held at The River Room, 18 South Water Street, Wilmington, North Carolina, on Saturday, July 27, 2013. The family will be greeting friends and relatives beginning at 2:00 pm and the Memorial/Celebration of Life will begin at 3:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 2013 Lakeland Great Strides Walk. Donations and condolences may be made online at www.forevermissed.com/stevenmozian
Donations may also be mailed directly to: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation SW Florida Chapter, 5100 W. Kennedy Blvd, Suite 195 Tampa, Florida, 33609. Please note: In Memory of Steven Mozian.