Many are expected to gather and celebrate the life of longtime McLean resident and local baseball standout Drew Stieg on Sunday, March 26 at 2 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.
The event at the McLean church on Chain Bridge Road is titled “Celebrating the Life of Andrew Bennett Stieg.”
Stieg, 20, died unexpectedly and peacefully on March 16 at his parents’ McLean home.
“The outreach to our family from the community has been incredible,” said Forrest Stieg, Drew’s father. “Everyone is welcome to come on Sunday and talk about Drew.”
The ceremony will be streamed at: https://vimeo.com/event/3183277. There will be a gathering at the Stiegs’ nearby home following the event.
A Website has been created for the Drew Stieg Aspiring Wellness Program. Donations are being accepted for a fund that will be dedicated to the program’s fostering aspiring wellness among athletes at McLean High School. The website is: https://www.mcleanboosters.org/drew-stieg-aspiring-wellness-program.html#/.
Stieg was a standout baseball player in McLean Little League, then later at McLean High School, for American Legion McLean Post 270 and later in the local Northern Virginia summer college league. He graduated from McLean in 2020, earning all-district and all-region baseball honors during his high-school career.
During the 2019 season, the speedy outfielder batted .407 with three homers, eight doubles, 14 RBI and multiple stolen bases. He helped McLean win a district-tournament championship that spring.
Stieg’s senior baseball season at McLean was cancelled because of COVID. So he lost the opportunity to play one last time with his younger brother, Griffin, and lifelong friends. McLean was expected to be a top team in the region that season.
Stieg initially attended George Mason University as a member of the baseball team.
“Drew was a great kid and talented player, who worked hard and wouldn’t hurt a flea,” McLean High baseball coach John Dowling said.
Dowling has set up a “Memories of Drew” comment page on Google Docs where more than 30 of Stieg’s former baseball teammates have left remarks. One of those former teammates was Zavyor Zenk.
"I remember Drew trying to be better at everything, from hitting in the cage, asking about swings, talking about grips on the ball. He was a great teammate and a great friend to have. He made every day better," Zenk said.
Stieg was honored and remembered in a brief ceremony prior to McLean’s March 16 home baseball game against Gonzaga. His former No. 3 jersey was hung from the McLean dugout. In a statement by the school, it was asked that Stieg’s “memory be a blessing to all of those who knew him. As great of a player as Drew was, he was even a better person.”
Stieg’s younger brother, Griffin, also a former McLean High baseball standout, is a freshman pitcher for the Division I Virginia Tech baseball team. Griffin Stieg made a relief pitching appearing against the host University of Miami team on Saturday, March 18, two days after his brother’s death. As Griffin Stieg walked off the mound for the last time in that game, the younger brother looked skyward.
