Born April 4th, 1948, to Mary and Harris Wilson of Woodbury, New Jersey, Stephen Harris Wilson is the eldest of three children; sisters JoAnn and Kathy.

As most of the children of this time, Steve had a very active outdoor lifestyle. From playing mud bombs and BB wars in the woods behind his parents' house to sandlot football with the neighborhood kids, Steve always excelled athletically. His obsession with the cavalrymen in white hats on the classic TV show "Rin Tin Tin" might have been the only thing Steve would come indoors for. This obsession turned into a hobby of collecting militaria at the ripe age of ten. That remains Steve's greatest hobby to this day, although there was never a white cavalry hat to be obtained, since it was only the actors in the TV show who ever had white cavalry hats.

During his 7th grade year, Steve was added to the roster of the high school junior varsity football team. This seemed to be par for the course, since Steve's father was a semi-pro football player, having played for the New Jersey Devils.

Steve was a fantastic football player, even though he found himself often feeling guilty for hitting an opponent too hard. Steve would prove to be a lover rather than a fighter, soon acknowledging his female fan population and increasingly directing his attention to them.

After a very successful high school athletic career, including fencing, wrestling, track and field, in addition to football, Steve received a football scholarship to East Carolina College in 1966. During his third day of practice with ECC, he broke several ribs, which resulted in his removal from the football team and the demise of his football career. He insisted upon staying active while double majoring in English and Psychology by joining Sigma Phi Epsilon as well as the ECC crew team. Steve rowed his way to sixth in the nation at Philadelphia's Dad Vale Regatta before ending his three year crew career upon graduation in 1970.

Before leaving East Carolina University (as it was renamed during his four years there), Steve had plowed into the hippie fringe...the long hair, the free love, the peace movement...not to mention his duties during Woodstock as a trip sitter (the guy who tells those who ingest LSD and the like that "it's just a pill" and "it will pass" and "you'll be fine tomorrow." Using his knowledge of psychology and substance abuse counseling was natural for Steve and explains his later direction in choosing a career.

Far from psychology or english, Steve took his first post-college job as a cigar salesman in Philadelphia. He was quickly fired after they discovered that he didn't smoke cigars. How ironic this seems to those who know Steve now, since you seldom see him without a cigar in his mouth.

Looking for his next career move, he took a job at Salem Elementary School in Salem, New Jersey, as a fifth grade teacher, as well as assistant field track coach. He excelled in his quest to teach and lead, which was shown in his work with one of Jim Henson's staff members in the development of a closed circuit TV program. The program, which was filmed in his classroom, used puppets as a teaching tool aimed at enhancing reading skills.

Steve would take his puppet act back to North Carolina and put it to good use at his new job working for Tideland Mental Health Center in Washington, North Carolina, as an alcohol and drug education specialist. The development of his program lead to the winning of "Most Outstanding and Innovative Children's Mental Health Program" in the state of North Carolina. Steve was on the path to a successful career as a counselor, so he thought he deserved a raise at this point. Instead of a raise, however, he was granted a one-month sabbatical and guaranteed his position upon his return. Having never travelled west of Asheville, North Carolina, he quickly took the opportunity, packed his bags, and prepared for his one month expedition through the West.

Saturday night, he celebrated at what would become known as the Good Time Boogie party. This was his last hurrah before hitting the road in his purple 1970 Volkswagen van, heading to his first stop in New Orleans. An acquaintance, Bob Smith, asked Steve if he could join him in his quest to see the West. Steve welcomed the company and the two guys hit the road.

After ten days of travelling, the pair reached California. After they had been there for a few days, Bob suggested that they head south...to Mexico! Excited about the prospect of driving through Mexico, Steve agreed under two conditions: no visiting American tourist traps like Tijuana and no drugs. Bob quickly threw out his prescription sinus medication and agreed. The two hit the border and the story begins!

Steve and Bob's trials and tribulations are detailed in Steve's book "Nogales: A Memoir of Courage, Survival, and Escape."

After his amazing escape in December of 1974, Steve spent the holidays with his family in New Jersey before returning to his past at Tideland Mental Health back in North Carolina.

Some of Steve's prison letters caught the attention of several journalists, and his story was published in the New York Times, Playboy (April 1975), and Penthouse Magazine (January 1977).

Steve befriended Bob Guccione, owner and creator of Penthouse, and worked for them for three years, while still with Tideland, developing his screenplay as well as escorting Bob's daughter to events. Penthouse's movie production came to a screeching halt after the release of Caligula, leaving Steve's "Mexican Nightmare" script never to be filmed. Steve quit working for Penthouse in 1980, and shortly afterward started dating his new love, Cyndy Latham.

Steve and Cyndy met at a Rolling Stones concert in 1975 and began dating shortly thereafter. They married in 1981, and remain happily married to this day.

Steve and Cyndy have a fondness their Shih Tzus, having been the proud parents of nine since getting together in 1981. Their puppies; Sanya, Kiki San, Hop Kee Mustard, San Li, BoBo Tai Chi, Tai Kee, Samauri, Hop Kee Zima, and Mango, are their children!

In 1985, Steve was hired as the state employee assistance program specialist for the office of state personnel where he remained employed for the next 18 years. Steve retired from the state and mental health work on Halloween in 2003, and continues his collecting of militaria specializing in Austro-Hungarian relics.

Since publishing his memoires in 2007 detailing the experience surrounding the trip to Mexico, Steve is currently working on a second book entitled, "Mustard and Me", detailing his adventures with famed adult movie producer and lifetime friend Richard (aka Mr. Mustard) Mailer.

Although he prepares for his next auto-biographical adventure, Steve still looks forward to the day when his story of escape will be put to film.

Articles about Steve Wilson:

Greenville Times

Daily Reflector