Reflections: A man who kept a promise to his younger self

April Burgess-Johnson/Photo courtesy of Burgess-Johnson

Editor’s note: Xpress reached out to community members for their thoughts on the life and impact of Asheville native and longtime Xpress columnist Jerry Sternberg, who died Dec. 25.

BY APRIL BURGESS-JOHNSON

Jerry Sternberg was a force of nature. He had a presence as big as that cowboy hat that was always atop his head.

I met Jerry when I first came to Helpmate 12 years ago and learned about his decades of quiet support for our organization and many others in the community. I asked him once why he cared so much about Helpmate’s mission to end domestic violence. He told me that he was relentlessly bullied as a child and swore that if he ever had the chance, he would do everything in his power to make sure that no other person had to feel that way.

As a man who made his own success, he kept that promise to his younger self. When Jerry learned that Helpmate was in the process of expanding emergency shelter options so that domestic abuse survivors had a safe place to flee, he was quickly on board with the project, acting as the first individual benefactor to the project.

Jerry and his wonderful wife, Marlene, donated $1 million to jump-start Helpmate’s capital campaign. This gift was staggering in its impact and gave the organization the momentum it needed to launch what promises to be a thoughtful and successful campaign.

Jerry was a natural leader, doing so with wit and charm and by setting an example that others felt compelled to follow. His impact will endure for generations, and those of us who knew him will miss him greatly.

April Burgess-Johnson serves as the executive director for Helpmate, an organization that provides safety, shelter and support for survivors of domestic violence.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.