The 41st Anniversary of Freddie Joe Steinmark's Passing, the Steinmark Family Announces an Agreement to Produce a Feature Film of Freddie's Remarkable Life
On June 6, 41 years ago University of Texas Longhorn Freddie Joe Steinmark, letterman and starting safety of the 1969 National Football Championship team, left us to be with the Lord.
DENVER, CO, June 08, 2012
Masses were said for Freddie Joe outside his hometown of Denver, by Fr. Simon Kalonga and the Nuns of the Carmelite Monastery, Littleton, Colorado, at the Ursuline Convent in Sligo, Ireland, by Fr. Gerard Cryan, and in other Churches throughout our great nation. During the '69 Season Freddie Joe was diagnosed with Cancer, and though his life was cut short after only 22 years, Freddie touched countless hearts."Many, many people recognized Freddie Joe's caring and giving nature, and his remarkable talent to treat everyone as truly special in God's eyes," said his mother, Gloria Steinmark.
Examples of Freddie's personal gifts and reach are numerous, such as the letter Father Cecil Lotief sent to Freddie's brother Sammy five years after Freddie's death. In 1970, Fr. Lotief was a graduate assistant at the University of Texas, and Freddie's Piano instructor during the Summer of 1970.
"I am writing because I thought that you would want to know another person's impression of your brother Freddie...we talked of many things that summer, and I wanted you to know that I would have had Freddie as my very own son had it been possible. I don't know when I've ever known such charisma in a person in all my life," wrote Fr. Lotief.
Throughout the different phases of his short life, there are many touching events and stories of Freddie Joe's bravery and perseverance in the face of difficult odds. In the years since his passing books and articles have been written attempting to portray these events in Freddie's life, but these works have often been filled with misstatements, errorsand false impressions.
On this anniversary of Freddie Joe's passing, the Steinmark Family is stepping forward to provide an accurate and proper account of Freddie Joe's life, and announce that they have reached an agreement with Nine Layer Productions, Los Angeles, CA to make an authorized feature film to bring this inspirational story to the big screen. Committed to an accurate depiction of the events and life of Freddie Joe, Nine Layer Productions is dedicated to properly embodying the full story of Freddie Joe Steinmark in a film written by Freddie's former teammate, screenwriter Bower Yousse.
Because such an integral part of Freddie Joe's adult life centered around the University of Texas and the Longhorn Athletic Department, the Steinmark Family is working with the University of Texas and its Athletic Department in support of this film project, including access to University facilities and archived material about Freddie Joe and his family.
Freddie's legacy is perhaps best summed up by his brother, Sammy Steinmark. "Growing up with Freddie Joe, I realized very early on that he was the kind of older brother every kid prayed for, and I was lucky enough to have. Watching him, being at his side, I learned to love and live with passion and heart every precious minute of the life God gives us. We all look forward to seeing these qualities of Freddie Joe captured in this film." The Steinmark Family will be praying today for Freddie Joe and all the souls who have crossed his path.