Austinburg Tragedy

On Monday Austinburg loses one of its precious young citizens. Mackenzee Metz, 19, daughter of Michelle and Greg Metz, was in a terrible car accident that claimed the life of her as well as the driver.

The Metz's are our neighbors in the Country View Estates in Austinburg. Our thoughts and prayers go to her and her family.

For those who wish to share a few memories, pictures or consoling thoughts through this web site please submit them to austinburg2@aol.com

My wife and I had these two chickens lovingly called "the girls". We traveled quite a bit back then. Mackenzie took care of our girls while we were gone. She would bring her little brother Gideon and her little sister Katie with her. The girls would always peck at her shoes just to say hi!

MACKENZEE CONTINUES TO HELP OTHERS AS SHE DID IN LIFE. SHE WAS AN ORGAN DONOR. THE ULTIMATE DECISION WAS LEFT TO US TO FULFILL HER WISHES. THAT WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE AS A PARENT. BUT, WE KNEW IT WAS WHAT SHE WOULD HAVE WANTED SO WE AGREED.

WE KNOW THAT HER KIDNEY WENT TO A MAN IN INDIANA. ALL HER OTHER ORGANS, CORNEAS AND TISSUE STAYED IN CLEVELAND. WE DO NOT GET TO PHYSICALLY GET TO HAVE CONTACT WITH THE RECIPIENTS, BUT GOD WILLING, WE MAY RECEIVE SOME CONTACT WITH EACH.

I RECENTLY LOOKED INTO HAVING MY LICENSE CHANGED TO BECOME A DONOR AGAIN. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE A $20.00 CHARGE FOR THE NEW LICENSE. I THOUGHT THAT WAS APPALLING. THAT SOMEONE ONE BE CHARGED FOR GIVING OF THEMSELVES SO FREELY. I CHOSE AT THAT TIME TO "NOT" DO IT.

I HAVE SINCE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH "LIFEBANC". THEY ARE THE ONES THAT HANDLE ALL THE "MACKENZEE" TYPE PEOPLE. THE ONES THAT DO NOT HAVE A CHANCE AT LIFE. THEY HANDLED HER WITH SUCH LOVE. THEY HELPED US UNDERSTAND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT. WELL, THEY TOLD US THAT ALTHOUGH THE LICENSE BUREAU DOES NOT TELL ABOUT A FORM TO FILL OUT, THERE IS ONE. IF IS FREE OF CHARGE TO BECOME A DONOR.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A DONOR AND DO NOT WANT TO GIVE THE STATE $20.00 TO CHANGE THE LICENSE WHEN IT ISN'T DUE TO BE CHANGED, THEY CAN EITHER GO AND GET THE PAPER AT ANY LICENSE BUREAU OR GO ON THE INTERNET AND REGISTER. THE EMAIL ADDRESS IS lifebanc.org. THEN FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS.

I HESITATED BECAUSE I THOUGHT OF ALL THE HAVE-NOTS IN THIS WORLD. I THOUGHT THAT IF JOE BLOW WAS RICH, HIS CHILD WOULD BE MOVED TO THE TOP OF THE LIST. WELL, THAT MAY HAPPEN, NONE OF CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT IT CANNOT. BUT THERE IS A REGISTER THAT PUTS THE MOST NEEDY AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. IT DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MONEY REALLY. I PERSONALLY CHOOSE TO BECOME A DONOR AGAIN. IF I CAN HELP ONLY ONE MAN, WOMAN OR CHILD, SOME ELSE'S LOVED ONE, I WILL. BEING POOR OR BEING RICH DOESN'T MATTER, LIFE DOES.

OUR FAMILY HAS REALIZED HOW BLESSED WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN. IT IS JUST SO EASY TO LOOK AT WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE AND NEED, AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT. NOT THAT WE DO NOT NEED MONEY, HECK, WE ALL DO, IT IS HOW WE EAT AND PAY THE BILLS. BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO LIFE THAT I THINK ALMOST ALL TAKE FOR GRANTED. THAT FAMILY WILL JUST BE THERE. LET ME TELL YOU ALL. YOU CAN NEVER BE SO SURE.

WE HEAR THE PHONE RING AND JUMP. WE HEAR A CAR COME UP THE DRIVE A WE JUMP TO SEE KENZEE. WE SMELL HER HERE. WE LOOK AT HER PICTURE AND CRY. WE SIT AND TELL FUNNY THINGS SHE SAID AND WE LAUGH. SO MANY EMOTIONS THAT FLOOD ONES BRAIN AT ONE TIME. WE KNOW SHE LOVED US AND WE KNOW SHE LOVED HER. IT STILL DOESN'T MAKE IT EASIER.

She was beautiful inside and out...she had a kind heart that overflowed with love towards all...she went out of her way to let others know how important they were and always complimented me when I first started my job...she over tipped me many times and just had a way of lighting the room up when she walked in. She is very much missed....My heart goes out to her family and friends as they knew her much longer than I...I do know the grief of losing someone you love so dearly as I lost my Dad about 4 months ago from Cancer. I am now dealing with my mother having to battle cancer and three little girls of my own. I am only 28 but have already realized the value of life. Its not money like her parents said but it is family and life ....you are only put here as a passing through....at any moment you can be taken....Love your family, say what you need to say each day, don't hold grudges, enjoy life.....Find God and seek his face evermore. God Bless You Mr. and Mrs. Metz and may you find peace in her memory and in God's love.

I wanted to write something to put on the page for Mackenzee. So if you have time, can you put this on there? It would be appreciated.

I was a friend of Mackenzee for the past year, and still not an hour goes by that I do not think of her. The pain her family is going through is unimaginable to me. I've found the one thing that has helped me the most is to spend time with them.

At first, when I would pull into their driveway, I would imagine seeing Kenzee walk out, or be standing outside, and it would make me sad. Now I look forward to seeing Gideon or Katie come out and make fun of my awesome car, or Mich walking around the yard hollering at the dogs. Its hard to explain, but time has made me realize a few things. One of them being that I really feel as though the Metz family is my new family.

I've been reluctant to put anything on here because I think and hope the Metz's know how I feel. I've realized its important for anyone reading this to understand the effect she had on other people, incase they had never met her. And I hope they can understand how close their family is, and even if they do not realize, they do inspire others by their strength.

AS A NEW DRIVER, WE AS PARENTS ARE ALSO EXCITED FOR YOU. BUT HAVE YOU EVER STOPPED TO THINK AT HOW HORRIFYING FOR US PARENTS IT IS? AS A TEEN, YOU "THINK" THE WORLD IS YOURS AND "NOTHING" CAN STOP YOU. YOU ARE VERY WRONG.

YOU ONLY HAVE ONE LIFE. THAT IS ALL MACKENZEE HAD. IT WAS TAKEN BY SOMEONE ELSE MAKING A REAL BAD CHOICE. PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT MAKE THAT CHOICE. WHEN SOMEONE WANTS TO SEE HOW "BIG" OR "BAD" YOUR CAR OR TRUCK IS, REMEMBER MACKENZEE. YOU WILL BE THE "BIGGER/BADDER" ONE BY "NOT" SHOWING HIM WHAT YOUR CAR/TRUCK CAN DO.