Friday, July 10, 2020
I remember when I was 8, we lived on Maple Ave. One day I was riding my bike one street over at Wellington, when I heard a muscle car in a driveway with a bunch of older guys around it revving the engine. I rode over to see what was going on, when all the guys started making racist insults and telling me to go away, then this guy comes out of the car, I can still remember that he was a bit shorter than the rest of them and his hair was a tinge of orange, but he told those other guys to quit it, and told them to smarten up. He apologized and asked me to come over. I was riding those bicycles with the fake plastic motorcycle tanks that kids rode around in during the late u201870u2019s. He says, u201cnice bike, looks almost like mineu201d. Then he pointed to a red dirt bike leaning against the car port. He told me if I came around the same time the next day, heu2019d take me for a ride. So the next day, I went over there, with small expectations, but there he was waiting for me. u201cYouu2019re late, Iu2019ve been waiting for youu201d, he said. He took me for a ride on the back field behind his house, let me off the bike, did some wheelies, and a few small jumps. Then I got back on the back of his bike, we drove around for a bit and then we went back. I thanked him. That was a big event for an 8 year old who have never been on any motorcycle before. Later that year, I remember standing in a long line up at the Towers Theatre for the late night showing of Star Wars and someone tapping my shoulder from behind and it was Mark, just saying hello. I canu2019t think of any 16 year old back then or even now that would show such compassion and kindness to an 8 year old stranger, to take a stand against his friends to call out racism. As we look at the world now, it is with such sadness that we lose a precious soul like Mark. I wished I had told him what an impact his actions have done for me. I can at least hope his loved ones read this and know he was a hero to someone far away. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
