Mother to feed first responders in son's memory | MacKenzie Collins drowned in 1994 in Little River County

MacKenzie Collins
MacKenzie Collins

OGDEN, Ark. - The family of MacKenzie Collins, a 16-year-old who drowned in 1994, will hold a balloon release and a lunch for first responders in remembrance of the 25th year of his passing.

It will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at the home of MacKenzie's mother, Phyllis Davis, who lives on MacKenzie Collins Street, formerly East Ogden Road, in southeast Little River County. Participants will also wear blue shirts, blue jeans and boots in honor of MacKenzie, whose favorite color was blue.

Since 1994, the grieving mother has been showing her appreciation for first responders and law enforcement officials, as they are part of the brotherhood that formed a search party for MacKenzie on Dec. 11, 1994, when he fell off a horse while crossing the rain-swollen Hudson Creek in Little River County. The creek was three miles east of the young man's home and he, along with cousin Bobby Burris had permission to ride on the property of the late Bubba Wade, who was a state representative. MacKenzie, who couldn't swim, fell off his horse after Bobby's horse jumped on his. He then went under the water. Volunteers searched until 1 a.m. on Dec. 12, 1994, then paused to rest before searching again at 7 a.m.

His body was then found with the help of a boat and depth finder, which showed a large object near the bottom of the creek. Chuck Davis and his son, Chas, found the 16-year-old.

Each year on the weekend closest to Dec. 11, Phyllis Davis has helped to donate life jackets, tires for boat trailers, spotlights, a depth finder and a Global Positioning System unit.

"They all risked their lives to find him and nobody gave them anything back, so I decided to show my appreciation. These men and women have feelings, too," she said.

Now, she hosts a lunch for those who give so much to their communities.

Bobby has also passed away, as he was killed in a traffic accident Jan. 21, 2016 at the Kansas City Southern Railway and Pine Street on the west side of Ogden. The accident also claimed the life of 10-year-old Braiden Miller.

"I just want to keep his memory alive and help other people," Davis said. "I still think of him every day. I think about hearing his voice. Sometimes I can almost see him. I've been criticized and told to let it go. It doesn't matter to me. I'm going to keep doing what I want to do."

 

 

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