By Brenda Pearson
Madison's Ball is coming up folks! Held on New Year's Eve, this will be the first year that we gather in remembrance of a dear yet departed friend of ours: Madison Gray.
Madison was one of the sweetest people I've ever known. She was always smiling, she always had a kind word for you, and she always made you feel special. Madison never hurt anyone or anything. She was a living picture of an angel. You don't have to take my word for it, though.
"She was a gift," eighth-grader Shannon Freemont, a close friend of Madison's, said tearily. "She was a gift from God and a very precious one at that. A kinder soul I've never seen, trust me."
"I remember she always had her ways of making you feel important. Whenever we had group discussions in class, she always asked every person about their feelings on the subject. The way she said it made you feel all warm and fuzzy," Christian Harris, another friend of Madison's explained.
Even teachers thought she was one of the kindest girls alive.
"She was a gifted and talented student," former seventh-grade English teacher Mr. Evermann said. "She was smart, funny, and very capable, all true qualities of a strong young woman."
"Madison was always on top of things. She had her work in on time, and you never had to worry about her participating. She always took part in everything she could," then seventh- now eight-grade math teacher, Mrs. Baylor, sighed.
So you see, folks, Madison touched everyone's lives. That's why when everyone received the news on New Year's Eve of 1999 that she had been killed, everyone was stunned and devastated. Madison was killed by the reckless cruelty of drunk driving. She was riding home with her mother from dance lessons that night, when a Ford pick-up slammed into the passenger side of the car. Her mother suffered several injuries which were treated, but Madison was killed upon impact.
So this year we are going to honor the wonderful memories of Madison Gray. We want to make sure that she will never be forgotten, will never be put aside, and will always remain in our minds and our hearts.
- Brenda Pearson (December 17, 2000)
Madison's Ball will be on December 31, 2000. The ball will begin at 6:00 and should end around 10:00. Refreshments will be provided, and this is a formal affair.
