Steven K. Daniels, 'life of the party' dies at 39

PEOPLE PASSING along a corridor at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania couldn't understand where all that laughter was coming from.

At 7 o'clock in the morning!

It was coming from the room of Steven Kyle Daniels, where he was keeping nurses in stitches with his jokes and his sparkling personality.

Steven was a cancer patient, but he wasn't about to let his disease keep him from enjoying life - and helping other people around him enjoy theirs.

"He was the family jokester," his mother, Agnes Daniels said. "He made everybody laugh."

Steven, a telemarketer for Comcast, died Saturday. He was 39 and lived in Yeadon.

He was born in Philadelphia to Agnes and Jack Daniels. He graduated from the Penn Center Academy School and later took courses at Community College of Philadelphia.

"If you didn't know Stevie you would never know he was sick," said his sister, Tracey Mott. "You may have noticed something was a little off, but his spirit controlled his affliction. His affliction never controlled him.

"Stevie was so positive no matter what and was the life of the party. In fact, Stevie was the true party starter.

"He was often told that his spirit was a gift from God. Stevie was even asked to speak to other cancer patients to offer inspiration in the midst of their situation."

Steve loved to dance and was often the DJ at parties.

"Everybody loved him," his mother said. "People gravitated to him.

"His family was the biggest thing to him. He was committed to his family."

Steven was also a published poet, and had read his poems on radio station WDAS. One of his family's favorites was "The Place To Be:"

Take me to a place where the rivers never end.

Take me to a place where I've never been.

Take me to a place where I'm light as a feather,

Where we can be together - forever.

"All who were blessed to have known him will be left with his immense light that will radiate in their hearts forever," his sister wrote.

"We will never forget everything you taught us. You taught us how to love."

Besides his mother and sister, he is survived by a son, Steven Daniels Jr.; two brothers, Byron Daniels and Daniel Wesley.

Services: 10 a.m. Saturday at Ward African Methodist Episcopal Church, 43rd and Aspen streets. Friends may call at 8 a.m. Burial will be in Eden Cemetery, Collingdale.