The weekly Four State Net of the Antietam Radio Association went suddenly quiet during check-ins on the night of May 27th. There was no response from Steve Struharik, WA8EIH, the net control station. Repeated calls to him on the radio -- and then directly to his mobile phone -- went unanswered. Finally, another call was made, this time to the sheriff's office near Steve's Myersville, Maryland home, asking that someone visit the house to check on him.

Meanwhile, Peter Nowinski, W3LIX, left his shack in Pennsylvania and made the drive to Maryland. He arrived 45 minutes later and found the sheriff's deputy at the house. The pair informed Steve's wife, Jean, of their concerns, then went downstairs to the radio shack. They discovered Steve lifeless in his chair.

The Struharik family needed a friend that night - and that friend was Peter.

Joe Maguire, WA1ZZQ, the club's activities chairman, told Newsline that a special service award plaque from Jean Struharik and the couple's two sons, John and Mike, was presented to Peter by the Antietam club at a meeting in August, as everyone recalled that difficult night. Joe said Peter's actions [quote] "epitomize the spirit of friendship and duty that makes amateur radio such a wonderful community." [endquote]

Steve, he said, was at the heart of that community and [quote] "we miss him dearly." [endquote]