Article Photos

(Editor's note: Two years ago, The Weirton Daily Times published two stories on Steve and his son Tony Sakac, explaining how love and the outstanding generosity of area residents have helped Steve's son. The two-hour documentary, The Steve and Tony Story, by David Vogel of Steubenville, Ohio, is in the final editing stages and should be completed in the near future).

A local resident is creating a documentary about the ongoing saga of a man's unselfish efforts to help his disabled son.

David Vogel of Steubenville, Ohio, is a a pro-life Christian and the director of missions and ministry for the Catholic Proud Organization of Ohio, a 501(c)3 non-profit agency, who met Steve and Tony while standing outside of the hospice care facility during the Terri Schiavo incident. They were there advocating life and protesting the decision to remove Schiavo from her feeding tube. Schiavo died soon after on March 31, 2005.

Steve and Tony can empathize with Schiavo's family. Steve has spent many years caring for Tony, who, at age 16, contracted Lyme disease after being bitten by a tick while on a field trip in 1990. According to Steve, Tony initially was in worse shape than Schiavo, and his doctors in San Francisco told Steve outright that it would be best to let Tony die and then donate his organs. The doctors only gave Tony a week to live.

Steve refused to believe the doctors and over time has helped Tony improve. But, because Tony originally was misdiagnosed as "brain dead" by those doctors, Steve cannot receive federal assistance for him to this day.

After Tony first was stricken with Lyme disease, Steve went to work at two jobs to keep food on the table and hire a nurse for Tony while he was away from him. Steve worked as a store cashier and as an orderly in a hospital. The first nurse Steve hired in California tied Tony's feet down and gave him phenobarbital so he would sleep all the time.

Steve didn't like the kind of care that the first nurse provided; nor did he approve of the kind of care the second nurse offered. Frustrated and upset, Steve quit both of his jobs to give his son the continuous loving care and attention he needed. And, because of Steve's sacrifices, Tony has come a long way in his healing process. They even took a stand together for pro-life issues during the Nov. 4 presidential election.

"We stood before the election, for days and hours on end, reminding people the importance of voting for the sanctity of life, protection of the unborn-pre-born, the disabled, elderly, handicapped and family values," Steve said. "We have a lot of work ahead of us."

Christian believers, Steve added that Tony really lights up when he mentions the name of Jesus Christ. "He really loves Jesus," Steve said.

Two years ago, generous Weirton-Steubenville area residents united to obtain a handicap-accessible vehicle, wheel chair and leg braces for Tony, and all of the goals were accomplished. And, while they were in the area, Vogel found out about The Hyperbaric Institute of Pittsburgh after calling Presbyterian Hospital, and someone there recommended the treatment for Tony.

"Dr. Frank Morganti is the director of the institute. There are only 50 in the United States - mostly in hospitals - but Morganti's is located outside of one, and it's one-tenth the cost of a hospital," Vogel said.

Vogel added that Dr. Morganti examined Tony and said he is absolutely not brain dead and that it was a misdiagnosis years ago. But, the oxygen treatments are going to take 60 days, administered twice per day, and for one hour each session, which means 120 sessions and more money they do not have.

Steve and Tony recently returned to the Tri-State Area hoping to be able to give Tony the hyperbaric treatments that can help him. They stayed in the Weirton Holiday Inn again on Three Springs Drive, but they need funding. Tony's hyperbaric treatments cost $19,000, plus hotel and food costs of $9,000. Donations are welcome and can be sent to their friend and advocate, the Rev. Andrew J. Anderson, rector of St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del., who has established a special fund for Steve and Tony.

Send donations to: Benevolence Fund for Steve and Tony Sakac, Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, 4001-17th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20011-5302.

"When folks send their donations, they should please enclose a note saying that this is for the Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment and Hotel and Food for Steve and Tony Sakac," the Rev. Anderson stresses in a letter.

Vogel, a musician, also has recorded a new song for the documentary called, "You Make Me Strong," co-written with George Kokes and Rick Witkowski of Weirton. Witkowski is the guitarist for the B.E. Taylor band and owns Studio L.

"We recorded tracks at both Studio L in Weirton and Aardvark Studios in Steubenville, and the song was pre-released last year on HeartBeat Records and was a final nominee for a Unity Award in 2007 for Pop/Contemporary song of the year," he said.

Vogel's documentary is in the final editing stages and should be ready for release before Christmas. Vogel was interviewed for a segment that will appear on the show, "Dana and Friends," on the international Catholic television station EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) sometime in the spring. The program will include clips from his documentary that will be shown when the song is being played.

Vogel added he also sang with the host of the show, Dana, for the opening Mass during World Youth Day in Sidney, Australia, in July. The pope was there, as well as an audience of 180 million. An international television station, EWTN has an audience of one billion people. Vogel also sang the song he co-wrote for Steve and Tony.

"A lot of the filming of the Steve and Tony Story was done at churches in Weirton, Steubenville and at the Weirton Holiday Inn, where Steve stayed with his son for about three months (two years ago)," Vogel said. "They came back to Weirton to stay at the Holiday Inn and schedule treatments for his son and to thank everyone for their help in the past. Steve has not forgotten the help he has received from the kind and loving people of Weirton, West Virginia, and Steubenville, Ohio."