We honor Marcus McIntosh whose life was lost in VBT crash

By Camille Woods
Van Buren Township
My son Marcus McIntosh: He was a well-loved young man with many friends. His visitation and funeral brought well over 600 people out to say goodbye to him.
He was an amazing son and best friend to anyone that needed one. His favorite phrase was “I Got You.” He used that whenever he felt he could help. For example, if he came into the living room and noticed my water glass was empty, he would grab it without hesitation with a, “I got you, ma.”
He has helped grown men stop drinking. He helped single moms care for their babies (two girls he knew from high school whose boyfriends had abandoned them).
He worked as a house manager for adults with disabilities. He was a Mormon — had converted and was baptized at 18. Marcus was his own person.
He helped a man in our neighborhood who struggled with mental health (schizo effective and agoraphobic). They became very good friends — Marcus sitting with him on his front lawn because the man couldn’t leave. Sadly, that man was a casualty of my son’s death in that he killed himself 10 days after Marcus died due to his grief.
Marcus left a legacy that most 70 year olds don’t leave, let alone a 20 year old.
Even the man that would take Marcus’ life was given a second chance by Marcus. He had been put out of his life several years before, but when he showed up at our doorstep after being released from prison Marcus felt he could be a good influence on him. The night he died Marcus allowed the man to drive his new car (though Marcus avoided driving with others) and took him to meet some of his friends. Marcus’ friends had never met that man until that night,
His repayment for his kindness was to be driven 90 mph down a mile-long road and into a tree.
The tragedy of it is overwhelming.
I am a school social worker and previously had worked for Ypsilanti schools during my son’s entire school career. I recently made the difficult decision to change districts and currently work for Ann Arbor schools in Carpenter Elementary.
My administrator has given me the go-ahead to begin a Pay It Forward initiative with our students.
Project: *I Got You* asks the students to do acts of kindness for anyone they can. When they complete these acts of kindness they will earn a wristband that says *I Got You – Big Mack* (my son’s nickname) and also a colored push pin that will be placed into a wreath that will be housed in the foyer of the school’s lobby.
Our anticipation is to have the students complete 1,000 acts of kindness.
The kickoff will be April 22. This is to go along with Earth Day. What better way to help the earth than to be kind to one another!
This, of course, is all in honor of Marcus (Big Mack) and all the kind acts he did in his short life.
He was a profound young man: A beautiful spirit — an amazing brother to his sister Mayceeclair — a best friend to me, his mom – a friend to all – even those most would forget.
He is missed beyond words
Thank you for this opportunity to share.

Editor’s Note: Marcus McIntosh, 20, was killed in a one-car crash on Morton Taylor Road on July 6, 2014. The driver of the car, his friend Joshua Morris, was bound over to circuit court on March 29 to face a felony charge of reckless driving causing death.