His death was sudden and unexplained, but there’s no mystery as to why Oxford High School freshman Mac Marion was well-liked and admired by virtually everyone he met.
‘It breaks my heart to know that he’s not around anymore,? said Bob Segula, Mac’s former seventh-grade math teacher at Oxford Middle School. ‘He’ll be sorely missed, I can tell you that.?
‘He left such good memories with everybody he met,? said his little sister Abby, an eighth-grader at OMS. ‘He was the best brother I could have ever asked for.?
It’s unclear exactly why it happened, but Mac’s young life came to an abrupt end Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009 at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. The Addison resident was just a few months shy of his 15th birthday in April.
Ironically, Mac was supposed to leave Saturday morning for Washington D.C. He’d been invited through his participation in the National Young Leaders Conference to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
Referring to his son’s recent arrival in Heaven, Mac’s father, Thomas Marion, said, ‘Mac is going to the biggest inauguration ever. Mac’s is bigger than Obama’s.?
All his life, Mac lived with and overcame his Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a fatal disorder, but according to his parents, that’s not what ultimately killed their son.
‘It wasn’t from the Muscular Dystrophy,? said Mac’s mother Gale. ‘He was still pretty strong. His pulmonary tests were always good.?
It all started Friday night when Mac fell out of his wheelchair and hit his head. Fearing he might have a concussion, Gale went into his bedroom to check on him after he had laid down to go to sleep.
He was responsive to her voice, but his eyes remained in a ‘fixed? gaze. When they got Mac into his power wheelchair, he looked pale and couldn’t maneuver it.
His family called 9-1-1 and Mac was first transported by ambulance to Troy Beaumont, but was later moved to intensive care at Royal Oak Beaumont.
‘Everything just went haywire from there,? Gale explained. ‘His heart rate was sky-high. His blood pressure was low. He had a fever that shot up to 108 (degrees) at one point.?
Thomas recalled his son’s heart rate went from ?200-plus? beats a minute to hardly beating at all. Doctors found fluid in his lungs.
Ultimately, Mac went into cardiac arrest and passed away surrounded by his loving family. What caused his untimely death is unknown at this time. There’s speculation it was some kind of a viral infection, but nothing’s been confirmed.
‘They really don’t know what it was,? Gale said. ‘We’re having an autopsy done, but the results won’t be back for six to eight weeks.?
But Mac’s family and friends don’t wish to dwell on how he died, but rather on how he lived, which by all accounts was with a great amount of gusto.
‘He was so funny,? Abby said. ‘He kept everybody in the family laughing all day.?
‘He was just a joy to be around,? Gale said. ‘The laughter we shared here together, I just felt like that was all we ever needed.?
A few people remarked on how Mac ‘terrorized the halls,? as his dad put it, at OMS and OHS in his wheelchair, racing around and popping wheelies.
‘He lived with a horrible disease, but never let it slow him down,? said OHS biology teacher Jeff Zoli.
Everyone who knew Mac was always impressed by his positive outlook on life and his determination to achieve his goals, which included excelling in his school work.
‘He would always stop after class if he didn’t understand something. If he still didn’t understand it, he would come after school,? Segula said. ‘I can safely count the number of kids who have done that over the years on both my hands and my toes.?
‘He was the hardest working kid I had and he didn’t make any excuses for himself,? Segula added.
‘One of the first things I noticed and appreciated about Mac was how much time and care he put into everything he did,? said OHS geometry teacher Jeff Schindler. ‘I could tell he took immense pride in any task that was given to him.?
Schindler said he never had to worry about Mac staying caught up when he missed class. The teacher did, however, worry about whether he was challenging Mac enough.
‘He constantly kept me on my toes,? Schindler said. ‘I am forever changed having known him and worked with him. He made me a better teacher.?
‘Mac was determined to learn all that he could every day,? said OHS teacher Judith Locke. ‘He was a model of efficiency and his writing was a dream come true in precision and form.?
Wise beyond his years is how many people described Mac.
‘Conversations with Mac were like talking to a very mature adult,? according to his father. ‘Most adults couldn’t carry on a conversation like Mac could.?
‘Mac was as bright as they come,? Schindler said. ‘He often had unique insight into problems during class discussion that enriched the material for me and his peers. He was never afraid to share his ideas with the class.?
Segula recalled how ‘very honest and straightforward? Mac was. If Mac thought a lesson needed to be taught a different way so students could understand it better, he’d say so. ‘He made no bones about telling me the absolute truth.?
Despite being born with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Mac never let his disability get in the way of living his life, even when it left him dependent on a wheelchair for the past couple years.
‘He didn’t act handicapped at all. He didn’t feel like he was handicapped,? said Thomas Marion. ‘He never worried about what other people thought. He felt he could do anything he wanted to do.?
‘He always had a good attitude about his disease. He would talk quite frankly to me about it,? Segula recalled. ‘He was very open about it. He understood what he was dealing with, he accepted it and he worked with it.?
‘Mac never made his disability an issue,? Schindler said. ‘He overcame it with hard work and an inspiring spirit. He truly was an inspiration to me and to the friends and the classmates he left behind.?
A spiritual young man, Mac drew strength from his faith in God and keen interest in the Bible. According to his parents, whenever Adam Scott, his best friend from the Muscular Dystrophy Association camp held annually in Lexington, visited, the two would stay up all night discussing the Bible.
‘He prayed all the time,? Gale said. ‘One night he said he fell asleep praying and woke up praying.?
Mac’s father said his son once told him, ‘You know when I go to heaven, I’ll be able to walk, ride a bike, do all the things I couldn’t do here.?
Who needs wings when you’ve got a brand new pair of legs and all eternity to enjoy them. Have fun, Mac.

Obituary information
Mac Marion was the beloved son of Thomas and Gale Marion, best friend and big brother of Abby Marion; treasured grandson of Jean and Janice Marion, John Dunsmore, and Esther Dunsmore (deceased); dear nephew of Lorrie (Russ) Hall of Minnesota, Mike (Tam), Joe (Pat), Chuck (deceased), Jim, Rob (Victoria), Ron and Andrew Marion; loving cousin of Amy (Nick) Rettinger and John Hall of Minnesota, Josh, Tim, Aimee, Ryan, Ashley, Samantha, and Danielle Marion, Brad Burton, and Jeremy and Jess Symons; and special friend of Adam Scott.
Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 21 from 2-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at Potere-Modetz Funeral Home, 339 Walnut Boulevard, Rochester, MI 48307. The funeral service will take place at the funeral home on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 11 a.m.
Interment Guardian Angel Cemetery.
Suggested memorials to Muscular Dystrophy Association. Online guestbook www.modetzfuneralhomes.com.