I met Mary early on in college, so I’ve known her for over 15 years. I wish I could have put my thoughts together for the service, but I at least wanted to try and share something to show what kind of friend Mary was to me. There are several fun stories to tell from those 15 years, but I’d like to share a more serious one that stuck with me the most. To me, it shows the type of person Mary was and why her passing has affected so many so deeply.
Back in 2006, I was in a car accident coming home from a late night. I fell asleep at the wheel on 417, and woke up when I hit one of the legs of the overpass bridges. I had been out with our friend Jeremy, so I figured he might still be awake and tried to call him to tell him what had happened. The call went to voicemail, and before I could leave one some people had stopped to ask if I was alright, the ambulance came, etc. so all that was recorded was chatter at a distance since I had left the call open.
I was taken to a hospital down in Kissimmee, and at about 700AM that morning I got a call in my room from Mary. Not on my cell phone, which was dead, but my actual hospital room. She asked if I was ok, and I told her that I was fine given what had happened and only had a concussion, soreness and hair missing that was still stuck in the windshield.
Mary started crying saying how happy she was that I was ok, but I couldn’t figure out how she knew which hospital I was at. I figured Jeremy had told her that something was wrong when he listened to the voicemail, but there was no way to know from that voicemail where I was on the 30 mile drive back home.
When I asked Mary how she knew what hospital I was at she said that she didn’t know, and that this was the 5th hospital that she’d called tried trying to find me. Only someone like Mary would start cold calling hospitals trying to find somebody when she heard something had happened to them.
She cared about her family and friends deeply, and this is just one example of many demonstrating that she would do anything to make sure her loved ones were ok. She’s left a tremendous void with all of us in her passing, and it’s never going to be the same without her laugh, her people watching jokes, or that WTF look she’d give (you know the one).
You were loved by many, Mary, and I think it’s safe to say that anyone who knew you is a better person for it. I know I am, and I will always cherish that I was lucky enough to know you and that you considered me your friend.
Love you always,
William “Billiam Bobert” Eubanks
