Faces Behind the Numbers: Dr. Mark Smith

In 1993, Mark Smith was a lab teacher at Oklahoma State College whereas additionally taking lessons. He seen a pupil, Angie Brief, was fighting the work. He provided to tutor her.

“He instructed me, you realize, ‘we will simply meet on campus.’ So we simply met exterior of the scholar union,” stated Brief. “He simply rode his bike up there and we simply sat underneath a tree and began speaking about class. And I’m identical to ‘gosh he’s the nicest particular person, he’s so good and clever and pleasant and he doesn’t have to do that.’”

After extra research periods and attending to know one another, Angie realized how particular Mark was to her. On his birthday at Eskimo Joe’s, she placed on a courageous face.

“I referred to as him ‘Dr. Smith’ as a result of he was going for his doctorate. I’m like, ‘Dr. Smith, I need to purchase you a drink.’ He’s like, ‘what are you doing?’ I’m like, ‘it’s your birthday. You instructed everybody it was your birthday.’ So, I purchased him a drink and after that we began courting,” Brief stated.

Their time was lower quick when Mark moved away to medical college, however they saved in contact by means of letters and long-distance cellphone calls however finally misplaced contact all collectively.

Mark earned his medical diploma from Mizzou and labored at numerous rural household medical clinics in southwest Missouri.

Mila Sly labored as a clinic supervisor with Dr. Smith at two totally different clinics. She felt fortunate he was simple to work with.

“What was so nice about him — he was caring and compassionate and he actually exuded that he cared about his sufferers,” Sly stated.

She additionally knew him as a affected person.

“He was my mother’s physician and simply experiencing that from the affected person facet, my mother doesn’t communicate English so I’d translate for her or one among my siblings, however even for somebody who doesn’t communicate English, she may actually see how a lot he cared,” stated Sly.

Amanda Anderson was his nurse on the Ash Grove Household Medical Heart — the final place Dr. Smith labored — in Ash Grove, a rural city of about 1500 folks. Amanda stated his sufferers discovered him relatable.

“The sufferers right here cherished him as a result of he frolicked with them, stated Anderson. “He wasn’t out and in, he didn’t attempt to rush you, he talked. It wasn’t at all times medical that he talked about, he talked searching and fishing, he was an Oklahoma boy born and raised.”

She stated that is essential in well being take care of good relations, but it surely’s additionally essential for informing sufferers.

“He was a wonderful instructor. We realized quite a bit,” stated Anderson. “I actually felt like he would have most likely carried out nicely as an educator as a result of he would take the the time to show us, the sufferers, all these intricate issues.”

In 2018, Angie Brief obtained a Fb message from Mark Smith, who she hadn’t spoken with in twenty years. Mark had already married and divorced by this time.

After chatting on-line, they determined to satisfy up in Oklahoma the place Angie nonetheless lives.

It was summertime, however Angie placed on Mark’s OSU rugby sweatshirt she had saved all that point.

“I imply I used to be nervous. I used to be excited. He stated he felt the identical means,” she stated. “He simply pulled up in his truck and acquired out of his truck and I went on the market. And I used to be like, ‘oh my gosh I can’t imagine you are truly right here.’ We simply hugged. We have been each simply so completely satisfied,. We simply picked up the place we left off.”

Mark confirmed Angie his love by visiting her each weekend in Oklahoma, by spending time together with her household, by cooking her dinners and watching TV exhibits together with her.

Angie additionally knew how devoted Mark was to his sufferers. She stated he by no means complained about work and was at all times on name. One Christmas in Oklahoma, a affected person of Mark’s wanted assist rapidly and no different physician was out there.

“I may inform he was simply so upset about his affected person,” she stated, “and he’s like, ‘is it okay if I depart?’ And I’m like, ‘completely.’ And he’s like, ‘I’m so sorry.’ And I’m like, ‘that’s why I like you.’”

Mark Smith is remembered by his sufferers.

“and so they simply let it out that he may relate to them.,” stated Anderson.

By mates and colleagues.

“He counted everybody has his good friend. That was simply his persona you realize,” stated Sly.

By his finest good friend, who didn’t have the possibility to say goodbye.

“I’d have thanked him for loving me unconditionally. And for being my finest good friend and at all times being there for me it doesn’t matter what. And simply thanked him for being the perfect man I’ve ever identified,” stated Angie Brief.

At some point Angie was cleansing her closet when an previous piece of paper fell out of a dusty field. It appeared like a poem and the title learn, “Should you may learn my thoughts.” She realized it was lyrics to a love tune Mark wrote for her in school in 1993.

Once they reconnected, she stated, Mark hadn’t forgotten the tune.