Adam Winter

Winter, Adam Stephens

Accomplished chef and nutrition educator, Adam Winter died from complications of congenital heart disease at the Hospicare Residence in Ithaca, New York, on Saturday October 15, 2011. He was 32 years old. Adam was something of a miracle man. His initial life expectancy had been, at best, six months. Yet he possessed such a lust for living that he persevered through successive medical procedures and interventions, often amazing his doctors and those who cared for him. No matter how fearsome the prospect, Adam always said: "Yes!" He was a gambler; a lover of travel, reggae, video games, remote-control cars, cooking shows; and an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox. Above all he was a family man who drew a wide circle of loved ones around himself, his mother, his brother, and his sister-in-law. Nothing made him happier than bringing them all together to share one of his delicious meals. The more complex in the making and flavorful in taste the better. Adam found his life's work in cooking. The spark came at the age of seven during a particularly long and difficult hospitalization. Much to his delight, his father gave him a signed copy of "The Frugal Gourmet" a cookbook published to accompany the popular television series to which Adam had become addicted while spending long days in his hospital bed. Adam had the touch right from the start. A pastry chef teaching a class he took with his mother remarked to her: "He has a feel for what he is doing. You, you throw your dough out and try again!" An elementary school reading tutor would later recall not how much progress he'd made over the summer but rather the delicious crepes he'd made her. No technique or effort ever daunted him. How could a coconut birthday cake start anywhere but with a coconut? Adam also believed everyone else could excel at cooking, generously praising honest effort. "That's OK, Dude," he was overheard telling his brother when he became frustrated with his effort to match Adam's perfectly formed calzones. "Just do the best you can." Adam graduated from the Riverview School in Sandwich, Massachusetts, where he was honored with the John E. Colloton Memorial Award as the friendliest student of the class of 1999. The plaque is inscribed with the words: "In order to HAVE a friend, one must BE a friend." Three years later he was awarded a degree from the Vocational Independence Program of the New York Institute of Technology in Central Islip, New York, then settled down in the neighboring town of Hauppauge, taking a job with the Waldbaum's supermarket chain. While in its employ, Adam developed a keen understanding of the nutritional emptiness of processed foods and how much salt they invariably delivered. In response to his ever-progressing heart disease, Adam devised a healthful and delicious diet based on fresh—and when possible—organic, locally grown foods. His goal was to not exceed 200 milligrams of sodium per day, about 10 percent of what the "2011 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans" recommends for individuals with heart disease. Friends and family spent long afternoons and evenings enjoying the savory meals he prepared and never missed the salt. When he moved into the Hospicare Residence he continued to participate in the preparation of his food, teaching the staff and volunteers the fundamentals of a truly low-sodium diet. In the late afternoon, the question could be heard up and down the hall: "What's Adam having for dinner?" Adam spent his last five years in Ithaca living simply and enjoying it. His final words to those keeping him company were: "Have a nice evening. I'll see you in heaven." Adam was predeceased by his father, the Reverend Dale E. Winter of Ithaca, and his uncle, Albert Henrich of McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He will be greatly missed by scores of friends and his mother, Metta Winter of Ithaca, his brother and sister-in-law, Jesse and Melissa Winter of Long Island City, New York, his step-mother and step-sister, Janet Morgan of Ithaca and Sara Demenkoff of Manhattan, and his aunt and uncle, Patricia and John Neuner of Washington, New Jersey. So that others might experience the exquisite care Adam and his family received during the last two months of his life, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, gifts in Adam's name be sent to Hospicare & Palliative Care Services of Tompkins County. A celebration of Adam's life will be held at the Foundation of Light soon after Opening Day in the spring.

Photo by: Jesse Winter