Steve Hood showed that “you don’t need a title to make a difference,” his longtime friend Greg Bowens said.
Hood, a political analyst who hosted “Detroit Wants 2 Know” on WKBD TV 50, died Thursday and the cause of death was cancer. He was 58.
Bowens, a political consultant and Hood’s friend of more than 40 years, said Hood’s illness didn’t prevent him from enjoying adventurous activities with his friend. Only a month ago, the two went kayaking on Detroit’s canals.
“We got to the mouth of the river, I was like, ‘All right, are we turning around?’ and he was like, ‘No, we’re going in.’ We got to the river and he was like, ‘How many people with Stage 4 cancer would do this?'” Bowens said.
Hood was the son of Rev. Nicholas Hood Sr., a former Detroit city councilman known for fighting for civil rights, who Bowens said set a high bar for his son. Though instead of politics, Hood graduated from Cass Technical High School and initially wanted to be a doctor before turning to community work, Bowens said.
“He wanted to heal the community in a way that didn’t require a medical degree, but required a certain level of compassion and dedication,” Bowens said.
His passion for religion shown through while teaching Sunday bible classes, according to friends. Hood also counseled youth at the Plymouth United Church of Christ — his father’s old church — and took them on annual tours of college campuses, said Mario Morrow, Southfield-based political consultant who was friends with Hood for 15 years.
“When people thought about Steve being this hardcore guy, he was really a softie, especially when it came to young people,” Morrow said.
Morrow is referencing Hood’s show, where he tapped into “aggressive” commentary but said he was respected for his forthrightness.
“He would call you out. He would call politicians out if they felt they weren’t doing the right thing. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican or Democrat…if you were not doing the right thing, he would say, ‘Hey, I don’t agree with them, they should be doing this differently,'” Morrow said.
During a high school graduation celebration a month ago, Morrow said he noticed Hood’s health was deteriorating. But Hood still managed to show up to the party to drop off a card for Morrow’s daughter.
“It was so profound for him to make that trip, knowing his days were numbered, to drop a card off?” Morrow said. “That, to me, showed me the elevation of his dedication to family, friends and students who were trying to do the right thing.”
Survivors include his brother, Nicholas Hood III, a pastor at Plymouth United Church of Christ; his sister-in-law and federal Chief Circuit Judge Denise Page Hood of the Eastern District of Michigan. His parents were the late Nicholas Hood, Sr. and Elizabeth Hood.
Details of funeral arrangements were not immediately available.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a statement called Hood a “titan” in Detroit.
“His passing is such an incredible loss for so many of us who not only called him a mentor, but also a close friend. Steve lived the spirit of Detroit through his deeds and actions. Everything that he did had a positive impact on those around him. We will carry on his legacy by fighting for the values and policies that he advocated for throughout his career,” Whitmer said.
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist in a statement said he’s learned a lot about policy and politics through Hood.
“The heart of Detroit is hurting after the news of Steve Hood’s passing,” Gilchrist said in a statement. “Steve dedicated his life to the city that he loved, and a city that loved him back just as much. Whether we heard his voice on the radio or saw him in the community, there’s not a single person who wasn’t impacted by his words and wisdom.”
Attorney General Dana Nessel said Detroit lost one of its biggest advocates.
“Steve was my Detroit organizer during my 2018 campaign. His passion for the city and its residents was not only obvious to everyone he interacted with—it invigorated others to share that same intensity. That community and political activism will be greatly missed, and I share my deepest condolences with his loved ones,” Nessel said in a statement.
Longtime friend Shonie Doll said Hood’s passing is a real loss to Detroit.
“He was very involved in politics and also very involved in his church,” said Doll, who has known Hood for 25 years. “He was an excellent Sunday school teacher and spent a lot of quality time with his students. I will miss taking him to Buddy’s Pizza for his birthday, and I’m definitely going to miss the great boat ride on his pride and joy – Amistad.”
Tresa Baldas contributed to this story.
Contact Dana Afana: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter at @DanaAfana
