James "Jim" Elgin is the step-father of Steve Austin, and the legal guardian of Jaime Sommers. Jim began dating Helen Elgin when her son Steve Austin was still a young boy. Tiring of spending his Saturday nights alone, young Steve suggested that Jim and his Mother get married. This had always amused Jim, who continued to have a close father-son relationship with Steve. The Elgins became the legal guardians of Jaime Sommers upon the death of her parents, James and Ann Sommers, in an auto accident when Jaime was just sixteen years old.