HELPING LOCAL CANCER WARRIORS IN FINANCIAL NEED
THE WHY
Steve Haydu was born and raised in Carolina Beach. He left the beach to attend Appalachian State University where he majored in education. After returning home, Steve returned to his roots of working in restaurants and met his wife Cori. Suddenly, his life began to have a purpose. Together, they and partner, Dave opened the “Ocean Grill and Tiki Bar.” Owning a restaurant will expose you to a host of characters, and the Ocean Grill was no exception. Steve saw these folks as extended family and blessed the lives of many daily. At the Ocean Grill, Steve and his family came to know and love one such character, Tim Reilly.
Looking for his next particular harbor to enjoy his “shuffling years,” Tim chose the serenity of Carolina Beach. Tim Reilly and his wife Linda had been blessed with seven wonderful children. Together, Tim and Linda had devoted much of their time to their two great loves—their children and supporting human rights causes. When Tim’s wife Linda lost a five year battle with cancer, Tim continued to champion these dreams. As a result, he became involved in road races throughout North Carolina. In Carolina Beach, Tim coupled the semi-retired life with ministry. The Ocean Grill and the crowd who frequented it quickly became a constant source of joy in Tim’s life.
In 2004, Steve was diagnosed with cancer. With the pending birth of his son, Jack, Steve was determined to fight this illness. Without health insurance, the battle was even harder.
Tim Reilly, championed yet another dream. He envisioned a fundraising event to aid young people who were uninsured and fighting cancer. Most importantly, he wanted to share love, hope and help heal Steve, Steve’s family and their community. An extraordinary group of people in the Carolina Beach area banded together to create such an important project.
On March 19th, 2005, the first annual St. Patrick’s Lo-Tide Run was a wonderful success. Unfortunately, Steve lost his battle with cancer in May of 2005. In 2006, the Lo-Tide Run was re-named in Steve’s honor. The race experienced a tremendous growth in comparison to the inaugural one. With the collaborative effort of 20 sponsors, 350 participants, and 40+ volunteers, more than $10,000 was raised.
The community suffered another huge loss in August 2006 when Tim Reilly passed unexpectedly while running on the beach during his favorite time of the day. Fortunately, this unique Carolina Beach event remains. As Steve and Tim would expect, after the race, the celebration of their lives continues with entertainment, refreshments and beverages available to all participants and sponsors. In addition, their legacies provide aid and support to the lives of others through financial support to area residents battling cancer.