This cache, hooked up with my best swag is in a large, camoflauged cylindrical container.
It was placed in honor of one of my best friends and first college roommate who took her own life in Little Rock, Arkansas while attending ULAR, with dreams of becoming a defense attorney.
Ashley Makonis had so many friends who loved her dearly. We all missed the signs--especially myself who received some text messages that only made sense to me in hindsight. Ashley left us on November 10, 2015 at the age of 27.
She and I were born the same year and only one week apart from one another. I remember celebrating our birthdays together when we turned 21 by going to see a rock concert with our friend, Leaholli. We had such an amazing time. Ashley was full of life, spontaneous, exuberant, beautiful, loving and brilliant. She was a caring friend, sister and daughter. I'll never forget our hours long phone calls, late nights binging The Office and The L Word, all our inside jokes and meaningful conversations. She always listened as much as she talked, was the realest of the real and she LOVED Batman.
I often called her my April fool--she was born 4/1/87, one week to the day after me. After visiting her mother and then her grave Wednesday, to add some cool solar lighting and trinkets, I decided to leave this cache in her memory for our birthdays, so that other geocachers can celebrate the wonderful person she was. I'm also leaving this to draw attention to suicide prevention and awareness.
If you are in crisis, please call or text the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (24/7) | If calling 911: Ask for a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Officer
https://namitexas.org/crisis-info/
-----
Ashley Danielle Makonis, age 28, of Little Rock, Arkansas, formerly of Texarkana, Texas died Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at her residence. She was born April 1, 1987 in New Boston, Texas.
She was a student at the William & Bowen School of Law in Little Rock, Arkansas, was a member and former Dean of the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity, was a 2011 honor graduate of the University of Houston and a 2005 graduate of Liberty-Eylau High School.
Ashley was an athlete and avid sports fan having played softball, volleyball, basketball, track and had participated in taekwondo since a very early age. She loved the Houston Cougars, Spurs, Astros and Cowboys.
She is survived by her parents: Betty Jackson and J.D. Carpenter of Texarkana, Texas; one brother: Brandon Oliver of Calgary, Canada; one sister: Nikki Makonis of Amesbury, Massachusetts and a number of other relatives and many friends.
Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Saturday at the Chapelwood Funeral Home Chapel with Jonathan Stanmore officiating. Burial will be in Center Ridge Cemetery, Maud, Texas. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/154895885/ashley-danielle-makonis