It has been amazing and heartwarming to read all of the tributes to Mark. My fondest memory of him is not necessarily a specific moment or event, but the way he always made me feel. He was (I think) one of the first to get his drivers license...or if not, he at least was THE FIRST to offer to drive Billys little sister to school. And I remember those rides in his cool ass blue car (and if I was a guy I could tell you the exact make and model!) I felt so special...Mark never made me hide in the back seat; instead, he made me feel like one of the guys In fact, I wonder what kind of pictures Id have in my archives if smart phones and selfies existed back then ;) Mark always involved me in the conversations he had with my brother, he taught me about music, and he educated me about what a musical genius Stevie Winwood was. To this day, I ALWAYS think of Mark when I hear Back in the High Life and Bring Me a Higher Love. And he always called me Lil Sar - in such a way that made me feel important and loved and not, well, Little. He was one of my many awesome big brothers in high school! What strikes me most about what Ive read and my own experiences with Mark is how he made ALL OF US FEEL so special, as if we were the only people in the world who mattered when we were with him. And it also seems to me that he is the only one that got away with giving sweet, endearing nicknames to all of his friends, no matter our age! He had a remarkable way of making me (and I think I am safe to say us) feel unique, awesome, loved, special, happy, inspired, and so much more. He reminds me that this is possible. He reminds me to bloom where I am planted and to keep my head where my feet are -- in other words, to be present, and to LIVE - HERE - NOW with those I love and care for. There are no words to express the deep gratitude I feel for having known Mark and for having been loved by him. I only hope and pray he felt all of the love from all of us while he was alive. And thank you, Bill, for allowing me to hang with your friends, some of the coolest cats at WHS! I also want to express my very deepest sympathy to Marks daughter, his father, his family and friends, and most especially to Chris and Mike. This picture, which I found on Marks personal FB page, speaks volumes to me - his pose, the message on the wall, and the captive audience! May he rest in peace and overwhelming joy, as he continues to bless us with so many amazing memories...
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 23:56:15 +0000