Steve The Dream
Jul 19, 2022There once was a man who lived on this beach and his name was Steve Thomas. Many of us remember him as Steve the Dream. Steve Thomas was a stay-at-home-dad to his two daughters while his wife, Anne, worked for the Dare County Health Department. Steve the Dream was his alter-ego who would entertain people outside of restaurants, at special events, and weddings. Dressing up like a 1950's greaser, he would talk with a New York accent, play music, and have dance contests. During his free time Steve loved to surf.
For most, this would be a fairly exciting life for a parent. For Steve, it was a more chilled existence than his previous career. You see, Steve was kind of a big deal. Not that he ever bragged about it. He would just give you small glimpses in to his past from time to time. Many of his accomplishments were made available to me when I spoke to his sister, Becky DeMarco.
Like many people on the Outer Banks, Steve came here to surf. After a while he got the itch to try modeling. Like many stories of stardom, he made some head shots and moved to New York City where he started knocking on doors. He quickly signed on with a modeling agency, Wilhelmina, and jumped on the fast track. Steve posed for print ads for Calvin Klein, Jordache, and more. He was sent to Milan to walk the runways for fashion shows. Eventually, he would appear in U.S. television commercials. He hung out with actors like Pam Dawber (Mork & Mindy) and dated Patti Hansen. According to Becky, when she graduated from college in Vermont Steve showed up with Patti who, just the previous month, had been on three, major magazine covers. Patti is currently married to Rolling Stones guitarist, Keith Richards. Becky also told me that Steve was one of the good looking people that would be invited inside to Studio 54.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_54
Eventually, Steve realized he missed the Outer Banks, married Anne, had kids, and they decided to raise their family in a much quieter place than New York City. Steve continued on with a quiet life; going to church, singing, DJing, and, of course, surfing.
Steve passed on October 24th, 2010. Of course, he was surfing. He was a humble presence on the Outer Banks and many people enjoyed his kindness and entertainment. There will never be another one like him. I'm proud to have called him a friend.
Best wishes,
John Van Lunenโ
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