On this day, sixteen years ago, I lost the person that I call my only
champion.

Her name was Mary Berneice Mullins. She was my mother.

She raised me, as best as she could, and I grew to be her son, as
best I could.

My father called her Berneice, but I called her Mom. That's was she
was to me. The reason that I loved her so much, even to this day, is
because she was my mother, so I could never really repay the debt I
owed her for being born.

Yes, we did have arguments, especially during my high school years,
but still, I loved her.

On April 13, 1990, of all things, a Friday, my mother had her first
heart attack. My father and I got dressed to take her to hospital,
but she said no, she wanted to be there when her daughters arrived
from Michigan the next day. What a mistake that was.

The next day, sure enough, her daughters, Mary and Phyllis, arrived
at our house. They were there for quite a while, then they went to
see our brother, Dan, who lived in a caravan camp out in the county.

Then, it happened. My mother had her second heart attack. Now we
had to do something, and fast!

Father and I got mother in our car, went to pick up her daughters,
and then took mother to the Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge,
Tennessee.

All they did for her was give her morphiene shots and glycerine
tablets. Some good that did.

I notified my siblings on mother's side of the family, and they got
there as best as they knew how, over the next few days.

On April 17, 1990, at 4 A.M., we were notified that mother had gone
into cardiac arrest.

We all got to hospital as fast as we could. At 4:30 A.M., just
thirty minutes later, we were told that she is gone. There was
nothing the doctors, or hospital, could do.

There was much weeping, sobbing, and praying. I cried six times that
day. I felt like some had ripped my heart out. I guess I lost my
heart that dreadful day.

Over the next few days, as I saw her in her coffin, I said, "I didn't
mean to hurt you. I'm sorry that I made you cry. I didn't want to
hurt you. I'm just a jealous guy."

The day of the funeral, there was rain. It was as if the angels in
Heaven wept openly. Believe me, I still miss her to this day.

I just thought I would share this with you. Now I know the Anzac Day
Game takes on a new meaning for me, for when our Dons take to the
turf, my mother will be there in spirit.

Mary Berneice Mullins. October 5, 1918. April 17, 1990.

Up There, Cazaly! In there and fight! Out there and at 'em!
Show 'em your might!
Up There Cazaly! Show 'em your high! Fight like the devil! The
crowd is on your side!