I will openly admit to feeling appalled and angry when I read your first article about Mr. Stephen Cardelli Jr. Certainly, you were swayed by the salacious nature of the details about Steve that you thought you uncovered. Perhaps holding off on publishing that part of your story would have allowed you time to research the exemplary life of our friend, Steve. Here is your chance to rewrite some of the information in those paragraphs.

Stephen Cardelli Jr. was an accomplished professional pilot. Steve was my husband’s co-pilot on a corporate jet for the past year. Mr. Cardelli had earned the highest level of licensing granted by the FAA. Neither the FAA nor the company, for which Steve worked, would ever grant that level of flying privilege to someone with a felony drug conviction. Steve clearly understood that decisions made by other family members should not define his life.

Steve was a single dad, who sacrificed his own career goals in order to raise his daughter to be a beautiful and successful young woman. He was also someone who didn’t hesitate to volunteer the little free time that he had to the young men in the Portland Boxing Club. At work, Steve’s priority was safety. He was pilot who put passengers at ease, and attended to every detail with professionalism. Personally, Steve was a warm and caring man with a contagious positive energy. We are deeply mourning his loss.

Jennifer Farrell
Essex, Conn.

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