In Memory of Mark Howard and Support of His Family

On Tuesday, August 25, my good friend Mark Howard was shot to death at a gas station in Athens, Georgia.  He was 52 years old and is survived by the love of his life and wife of 22 years, Natalie, his four adult children, and his young son.


Anyone who had the privilege of getting to know Mark would also know that he prided himself, as good men do, on being a provider for his family.  But Mark's generosity would be severely understated if we left it at that.  Mark was willing to sacrifice just about anything if he thought it might help the people he cared for.  The lives of Natalie and his children have been drastically and forever changed due to the actions of the coward who shot him down in cold blood.


The loss of the bedrock of a family is always devastating to the survivors.  When that loss occurs unexpectedly and without warning, it is even more difficult to overcome and heal.  Unfortunately for Natalie and her family, they will not be afforded the opportunity to begin healing just yet as Mark's life was intentionally cut short by another man, and that man still needs to be held to account for his actions.  Until that day, and only with a just result, the Howard's will remain in a purgatory of grief and fear that will not relent and can only be understood by the few who have suffered through it themselves.


To make a bad situation even worse, Natalie is employed in the Health Services community and is a recent survivor of the Covid-19 pandemic.  While her recovery is pretty much complete at this point, her working hours remain at their reduced level of just 24 hours per week.  Mark was a small business owner who, like many small business owners, was already stretched thin due to the recent economic decline, and due to his health conditions, was unable to afford life insurance.


I know that times are difficult for everyone right now, but that is why community is so much more important than at any other time in most of our living memories.  Mark and Natalie understand that as much as anyone, these are the very same people that rented a van and bought a ton (literally) of water, clothing, food, and toys to towns stricken by natural disasters.  No one person will be able to completely take away the pain and agony the Howard's are suffering right now, and no one can prevent the pain and agony that is yet to come as the Howard's anxiously await justice.  Similarly, no amount of money is going to make the Howard's whole or replace the shining light that has been taken from them forever.  However, if we all could contribute just a little bit, we could ensure that Mark receives the memorial he deserves without adding to the existing burdens already being faced by his family.  We could also help to ensure that Natalie has the time and resources she needs to take care of herself and her young son while they heal from their horrific loss and await justice.  Please do whatever you can.

While there is a chance that the Howard's may be awarded civil damages at some point in the distant future, the chances for recovery are unlikely in cases such as these.  However, if the Howard's are at some future point successful in recovering damages from the responsible parties, his family will be donating funds in Mark's name matching or exceeding those raised by this fundraiser for other families who have become victims of gun violence and organizations whose mission it is to end the epidemic of gun violence in this country.