FW: Disabled Glass artist: Inspiring others with his own light

[Guest guest]

Steve Tagg: Inspiring others with his own light

Name: Steve Tagg

Age/Birth date: Tagg is 51. His birth date is Jan. 16, 1950.

Disability: Tagg had colitis for years, but finally in early 2000, his

doctor called and said his cell structure had changed. Tagg learned that

his cells were precancerous and would inevitably become cancerous. He

needed to have a colectomy, which meant having his colon removed, or he

would wind up facing cancer.

Employment: Tagg had a human resources job, but he grew tired of having

the responsibility of firing people. He left that job in early 1999. It

was just a short time before he started Steve Tagg Stained Glass.

Hobbies: Tagg likes to go fishing. " I get a lot of enjoyment out of

being out in the boat with friends and relatives. That makes for good

relationship building, " he says.

Greatest accomplishment in life: Earning his bachelor's degree in human

resource management and organizational development is an achievement

that makes Tagg proud. He describes himself as being a " 20-year

freshman. " Then, when he was in his 40s, Tagg entered an accelerated

degree completion program at Spring Arbor College and his success was

self-fulfilling. " I am the only one of my family, of my siblings, who

got a degree, so it's been kind of a big deal in my family, " he says.

Role models: Tagg says his father-in-law, Wesley Bowen, is someone he

greatly admires. " My father-in-law is unflappable. He is very

even-tempered, very positive-minded, just one of the nicest people you'd

ever want to be around . . . I think he's probably been one of greatest

influences on my temperament. "

Favorite quote: Tagg once wrote on his human resources job: " I am all of

who I know and part of those who know me. " He says that he believes we

become an accumulation of our experiences. We hold onto the best times

as we encounter them, according to Tagg, and then we reflect them to

others.

Recovering with positive attitude

By obtaining coverage through Michigan's open enrollment insurance plan,

Tagg had his colon removed and for about three months, he had an

ileostomy, an opening through his abdominal wall. As a result of early

detection, he did not need to receive any chemotherapy treatments. Tagg

believes that his positive attitude contributed to his rapid recovery.

While being in business for himself created some complications as far as

insurance matters, he expresses how his employment status was a benefit

during his healing. " If I had been working for another company still, it

would have been very difficult because I would have had to explain lots

of details that I didn't want to talk about at the time, " Tagg says. " I

wanted to get through it and see how it was, more than I wanted to deal

with explaining to people why I couldn't function. By working for

myself, I could go work an hour in my studio and nap for two if I

needed. "

Managing his business and his health

In a way, Tagg's bout with cancer helped him learn to run his business.

To manage his health, he had about four months where he was unable to

complete much work. He was forced to explain to customers that he wanted

their stained glass jobs, but he had to refrain from making deadlines.

" It helped me to stay in control—to learn how to be in control and to

tell people 'no,' when I could make a suggestion for an alternative, "

Tagg says.

He remembers how he explained his situation to one understanding

customer: " I just went right to him and said, 'I have somebody else who

can do this. I would really like to do it. I appreciate your work. I've

got to go in for this surgery.' I told him what it was and asked him if

he would be willing to wait. "

Finding the sparkle in his trademark star

Tagg's first big job was for a customer who wanted 22 stained glass

panels for his home. It is fitting, perhaps, that one of his trademark

items, however, has become three-dimensional stained glass stars. Fellow

artist and friend Wanda Gringhuis encouraged Tagg to design the

pieces. " My work often includes stars, " she says. " They have pattern,

sparkle, a positive image. "

bought Tagg's first stars and she still has them on display in

her home. " They are perfect for Christmas, Epiphany and any time, " she

says. " Steve's positive approach to life brightens all of our lives in

so many ways! "

nne Ray, the chief development officer for Alpena General Hospital,

agrees that Tagg's stars are perfect. " For the past two years we have

been raising funds for our new cancer center. Our theme for the past two

years has been 'Pursuing the Dream.' Now that it is all coming to

fruition, we needed a theme for the dedication. The developers made

their choice: Pursuing the Dream, Reaching the Stars.

" Then we began the search for a commemorative gift for our major donors.

One day, as I read the Petoskey News Review, there was Steve. And his

specialty was the stars! I was so excited. "

Tagg is excited to be filling the hospital's order for 60 stars. He

says, " I think different people see different things in them. " People

will hang them in a window, he says. Underneath their windows, quite

often, is a heat register. " When you have two or three of them hanging,

that kind of makes them move all around and causes somebody to look at

them like they are looking into a fire. They reflect, and it inspires

people to look at them and think a little bit. "

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Bethany Broadwell is an iCan content producer for the Self-Discovery &

Relationships channel. You can reach her at Bethany@...