SOURCE: Ashley Greenlee
SOURCE: Ashley Greenlee
Clinton High School students are in shock over the sudden death of one of
their schoolmates, Shelby Mardis. The 16-year-old sophomore student passed away
early Thursday morning.
Friend Ashley Greenlee, a Clinton High School sophomore, said, "I was
just like, 'Oh my gosh one of my best friends is gone.'"
Mardis would park her car in parking space 192 at the high school. Now, the
space has been turned into a memorial filled with flowers, balloons, hats, and
Hello Kitty items.
Another one of Mardis' friends, Clinton High sophomore Riley Lynch, said,
"You never expect things like that to happen. She was always nice to
everybody and she always had a really big heart."
But it seems Shelby's heart is what caused her untimely death.
Principal Eric Snider said, "She did have a pre-existing heart
condition. Apparently Wednesday she was feeling light-headed and actually had
a fainting spell. She went to the nurse, we called her family, and they picked
her up."
Several hours later, Shelby was gone.
A void now fills the halls of Clinton High School, as well as the hearts of
her friends.
"I had world geography with her and she sits in front of me and it's
just so weird not seeing her sit there and talk to me. And we would have lunch
together and now it's just me and it's just weird," Lynch said.
"Every time I'd walk into the class she'd always have a smile on her
face, and I loved seeing that bright smile and I'm going to miss seeing it. She
was an inspiration to me, honestly, and she was a great and trustworthy
friend," Greenlee said.
Clinton High School students wore blue, purple and green in honor of Mardis,
as those were her favorite colors. Students also held a vigil at the teen's
parking spot.
Funeral arrangements are still pending.