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Remembering Dave Stewart, as Loxahatchee man found wandering streets loses battle against cancer

Posted at 7:37 PM, Feb 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-02 21:54:30-05

We followed his story from the beginning.

A stranger found wandering the streets in Loxahatchee - a community jumping in to help him out. 

That man, Dave Stewart, lost his fight with cancer on Thursday. 

The last chapter of  Dave's story began at the end of a long dirt road in Loxahatchee last May.

“I was like sir, can I help you? Is there something I can help you with?” his Neighbor Clint Berryhill told us back in May.

Clint made the chance encounter, after Dave wandered away from home.

“He's just walking down the street. Barefoot, feet bleeding with his little puppy dog. He was very disoriented. It was actually heartbreaking.”

Clint posted Dave's picture to FB - and we soon learned his story.

Dave had stage 4 throat cancer, was going through intense Chemotherapy once a month, eventually he lost his house and car.

That post soon lead to #TeamDave. It became a rallying cry for a community - as complete strangers began to offer donations, meals and transportation.

We caught up with Dave about a month later - overwhelmed by the support.

“I can't wait to meet all of you and give you all hugs and tell you I love you. Because I do. Every one of you,” he told us. 

Dave got that chance just a few weeks later, as a fundraiser for Dave brought out plenty of support.

“I didn't know what to think. I've never seen anything like this,” Dave said.

It also brought out plenty of emotion.

“The man above - he got him lost so he could be found,” Dave’s niece Lisa Flagg said. 

The final words we got from Dave on camera - a testament to that lost and found man. 

“Now I have all these people behind me...and it feels great.”

It was that support that kept Dave Stewart fighting till the very end.

At next month's relay for life event at the south Florida fairgrounds, community members are putting together a team in honor of Dave and so many others who have lost their lives to this terrible disease.

Click here for more info on Relay for Life.