Opinion

Published October 23, 2026 5:00am

About 35 years ago, Steve Schuck, a good friend and political ally, called me and proclaimed, “There’s someone you must meet.” “Who, why and when?” I asked. “Immediately”, he replied, “time is of the essence.” So, we arranged a meeting for the next day. The man was Bob Coté. We met at Bob’s workplace, a somewhat dilapidated building at 21 st Street and Larimer St. in what was then Denver’s skid row. The building housed Step 13, a tough-love, sobriety-first recovery community for homeless men in Denver.

Bob had been a successful salesperson but succumbed to alcoholism and wound up hitting bottom, homeless on Denver’s skid row. Step 13 helped him rebuild his life. He returned the favor by taking a job there to help others, and soon ran the place, determined to save it. This was a tough neighborhood and Bob was a tough hombre, a former Golden Gloves boxer.…