Would DU veterans please tell the "newbies" of Andy Stephenson's importance here...

[NashvilleLefty]

18. When I first started lurking here, I kept coming back

primarily because of the postings of Will Pitt, the KOEB (Keith Olbermann Estrogen Brigade), and "God, Bush, and Cheney" which was Andy's original handle before he changed it to his real name.

Andy actually walked the walk, which is probably why the RW hated him so much. He worked for Bev Harris against Black Box Voting and the way it was being used to influence (steal) elections. At first, Bev seemed to be fighting the "good fight", although many here saw through her before I did. She and Andy had a falling out and Andy left her employ. Later, she sued several counties for fraudulent election practices and simply kept the money she won. Andy never gave us all the juicy details - he remained classy.

Unemployed and with no health care, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer which is what killed my father so I knew what that diagnosis meant. It is generally considered inoperable.

However, there is a Whipple procedure which can only be done by a few surgeons in the world which has proven to be successful in some cases. one of the very few places in the world that can/will perform this surgery is John Hopkins. Of course, Andy had no money or health insurance and this was long before the ACA.

Some DUer's set up a PayPal account to accept donations to help him out. Even as a lurker, I donated to the account. We reached the goal and Andy went to John Hopkins for the procedure. Many pictures were posted, including one of him in a humorous mask that I remember fondly - showing his indomitable spirit.

However, there was a problem. In a previously posted article it mentioned Scamdy.com, which I also lurked once I found out about it. I remember a poster there bragging about how he was a DU troll, and donated the minimum to the PayPal account. When Andy arrived for his procedure, it was trumpeted on DU. This poster chose this time to challenge the PayPal account, claiming that he was afraid that it was a "scam". In accordance with PayPal's policies, the funds were immediately frozen.

I remember one donor who was there and pleaded with the accountant to accept the funds and allow the procedure. After explaining her story, I remember her posting the accountant's reply: "don't believe everything you read on the internet".

Eventually, PayPal determined that the fund was legitimate and released the funds, but it greatly delayed the procedure which had already been delayed beyond reason. Andy did have the procedure, albeit extremely late. During his recovery, he was presented with a new puppy which he loved dearly and named Ballot (a perfect name, considering his work for paper ballots in exposing Election Fraud).

Many pictures were posted of him in his recovery room with Ballot. They were adorable and heart-lifting.

Unfortunately, Andy never recovered from his recovery. He died.

Meanwhile, over at Scamdy.com despite the many posted pics of Andy arriving at John Hopkins, the pics of him (and Ballot) in the recovery room, and the very fact that it was verified by PayPal, those f*cking vampires celebrated. They refused to believe their own eyes and envisioned Andy using the money to escape to a Caribbean Island and sipping pina coladas all day. As if $50k would last more than a year or 2 (I've been there several times). But it just shows how these vampires will justify anything.

It is difficult to explain exactly what Andy meant to everyone who read his posts, unless you read them.

It is also difficult to say if the efforts of the RW actually killed him or if the procedure simply did not work. However, his chances would have much better if the procedure and not been delayed as it was. And the vitriol was .... well, it was unprecedented. The grave-dancing also unprecedented.

So, if you ask me, they killed him. I can forgive a lot of things, but I cannot forgive that.

Andy Stephenson will always have a special place in my heart, as well as Great Aunt of Triplets (his relative who kept so many of us informed).