On the first anniversary of Marin’s passing, we asked everyone who ever had any opportunity to meet Marin to share their stories with us. Thank you, Katy, for allowing us to share it with others.

How did you know Marin: Best Friend

One night, after having just enjoyed (talked through and happily left early) one of our high school football games, Marin and I walked to Jewel. It was one of those nights when nothing was really happening, but it felt like we were intoxicated from being together. We were the teenage girls laughing a bit too loud in the Jewel Osco.

At Jewel, we bought an entire pumpkin pie, whipped cream, plastic forks, and some water so as to not get sick from eating an entire pumpkin pie. We then walked to Hough Street School to sit at a table and enjoy our pie. We talked about nothing and everything and laughed a lot. At some point, some middle school boy came up to try and steal my water bottle. He failed because my reflexes were too good and then ran away in shame to his group. We just couldn’t stop laughing at the absurdity of the night.

I still have a picture of Marin from this night – September 14, 2022. She was in my tropical shirt, because that was the theme of the football game, with her lanyard around her neck. She had a smile on her face as she put a generous amount of whipped cream on a fork full of pie. She was happy and I know I was happy taking the picture. We were happy to be silly together.

Buying a pumpkin pie and eating it in a night became a tradition in our friend group. We did it as new friends joined the group and we did it to celebrate her birthday this year. It’s my favorite tradition to carry on her memory.