Paul Stepanian died after a 3-year fight with cancer. Never wanting his disease to define him, Paul, along with his family and friends, formed a charitable organization to raise awareness and funds for Multiple Myeloma research. Through the "Reaching for a Cure" organization, the 38-year entrepreneur raised over a half-million dollars with an annual event that brought together patients of blood cancer from around the country and featured former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro, a long-time multiple-myeloma patient, as guest speaker.
Stepanian was not one to take the path most traveled. He was an entrepreneur at heart, following in the footsteps of his father, Stephen. Stepanian always looked for business opportunities and when presented, made the most of them. He created his own legacy through education, hard work, and building strong relationships. He treated people with respect, openness, and fairness that transcended his business and personal life.
In 1992, Stepanian earned an undergraduate business degree at Bentley University. Being no stranger to hard work, in 1998 Stepanian went back to Bentley and earned an MBA from the McCallum School of Business while starting his first entrepreneurial venture, SPS Tech. At the age of 26, Stepanian purchased SPS Tech, a small prototype shop in the electronic circuit industry which tripled its revenue under his leadership. He sold the business at a profit several years later. Not to rest on his laurels, Paul went on to found Northern Light Realty and established a successful second business in the financial services sector.
While Stepanian had success in business, this never overshadowed his commitment to his family. Stepanian found his soul mate in 1995 when he met Julie Lopes, of Cambridge. They were married in 1999, after Julie completed her medical degree in pediatrics. Their marriage flourished and they remained in the Boston area, living in Wellesley, where they added two new members to their family: daughter Ella, 4, and son Paul Jr., 2.
In February 2006, life threw Paul and his family a curveball when they learned from doctors that he had contracted a rare but aggressive form of blood cancer known as Multiple Myeloma. Rather than responding with anger or self-pity, Stepanian handled the diagnosis with the same strength and courage that he displayed throughout his life. He found comfort in his faith in God and expressed a desire to make a difference in the lives of those with cancer. Thus, the "Reaching for a Cure" organization was started in 2007.
Stepanian didn't spend the last three years waiting for the end. He worked, laughed, and enjoyed the time he had with Julie and their two children. People who met him for the first time rarely knew he was ill and those who already knew him were amazed with the strength that carried him through his treatments. Stepanian lived life in the moment and without regrets and enjoyed time with his family and friends. It was never about what he was doing but who was there to share in the memory. Stepanian built lifelong friendships through every stage of his life and made a lasting impression on those that were fortunate enough to know him.
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