| FROM
TOM WORNER - 7/8/09
note: I
wrote to Tom asking about the date of this unfortunate
accident. His reply was so eloquent that I've decided to
share some of it with his permission. I appreciate his
willingness to discuss a difficult time in his young life.
Chris,
In all
honesty I tried to Google to find the exact date and have
not been able to get there. I've tried on 2 different
occasion to find it and could not get there.
But in the
mean time I feel compelled to respond as best I can to your
request.
First your
question is valued, appropriate and I'm honored to share the
history/story behind those events. Understanding every one
for their own reasons is curious to know. (I do realize and
interpret your simple question is "what year". Perhaps it
is me who is compelled to share the story. Share as you see
fit and as appropriate.)
Secondly I am
honored and have no problem discussing the circumstances
around Mark's untimely death. Admittedly and obviously it
saddens me deeply. But in his spirit and as I'm sure he
would want I (we) must move on.
To the best
of my recollection Mark died in the Summer of 1975. It was
in August and it was during Fair week. I know that part for
a fact.
It was a
Summer night of Fair week. Mark had rededicated himself to
return to Anderson College in Anderson, Indiana, to try to
make the basketball team. This is where I struggle a bit on
the year (and frustrated I can't find it in my gray matter
or in Google) because Mark went to Anderson and either made
the basketball team as a freshman or was cut. I believe he
sat out a year and was recommitting to try to make the team
as a sophomore. I know I was still playing in an attempt to
make the basketball team at ONU. (The last year I tried out
and was cut was my sophomore year 1975 which is how I back
into Mark's death as 1975. Or perhaps 76 because Mark has
sat out a year. Umph!)
So because he
was rededicating his efforts towards basketball that Summer
night we went out to search out a gym to play pick up in.
Greenville did not have open gym. Not sure if for Fair
reason or what. But Mark drove his Pinto station wagon with
myself and a college buddy of his off to Arcanum first. We
got ask to leave Arcanum gym because we were not residents.
We moved on to Northmont High School. We got in and got to
play though only for a short time because for obvious reason
we arrived late in the session and it closed up at 8 or
there abouts.
I recall Mark
had been working long hours at his Summer job. So
after finishing our "run" at Northmont we headed home on
route 49. Mark driving, his college friend in the passenger
seat me in the back seat. The accident
occurred heading north on 49 about a 1/2 mile south of
the Abbots Cemetery. There is a slight incline as you
approach the cemetery which is on the right.
My
recollection is Mark dozed off while driving, went left of
center and hit an 18 wheeler. (As I recall the truck driver
was actually a neighbor from the neighborhood where Mark
lived with his parents.....behind the bowling alley.) Mark
was ejected through the windshield. His college buddy and I
remained in the car. When I came to the
paramedic were already there (They came directly from the
Fair) Mark was still alive at that time and on the side of
the road and being attended by the paramedics.
We all went
to Wayne in separate ambulances. Mark was in one emergency
room and I in an other. I believe Dr. Boli saw both Mark
and I. Mark pass while in the emergency room.
I can recall
going to his funeral and that he was buried in the cemetery
in or around New Madison. It sits on the left side of the
road and has a slight crown/hill in the middle of it.
Obviously his
life was taken prematurely.
I recall
Coach Lee Morris (who is as some may recall was a religious
man. And who by the way calls me to this day once or twice
a year to chat. More about hoops and those memories than to
discuss Mark) coming to the house and trying to console me
and help me understand and put order the events.
I feel
compelled to put to rest an thoughts and to answer
the question if drugs or alcohol were involved.
Unequivocally no - not at all. We were out to play hoops,
improve our health and game and drugs and alcohol were the
farthest thing from our minds.
In closing I
think of Mark often. Have probably told the above story
less then 5 times since it happened. Did/do those events
and the passing of a dear friend impact my life and thought
process......absolutely. I find peace knowing I was with a
dear friend out doing something we both loved and honored to
be with him when his journey end.
God Bless
Mark and our other classmates (and their family's) whose
journeys have ended.
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