Post reporter honors deceased friend, fellow Bobcat.
While all of us transitioned into college life, battling time-management skills, midterms and community bathrooms, Ashley was battling much more. While all of us moaned and complained about our busy schedules and workload, she always managed to keep a smile on her face.
But little did we know, our good friend was also fighting cancer.
Ashley Mercer, a freshman at Ohio University, died at her home on Tuesday, Jan. 13. She was 18 years old.
Ashley was a friend of mine who I met in JFreshman Newsroom in the fall. Even though we only spent one semester together, it feels like I knew her much longer. I lost a friend.
We did a lot of work together in JFresh and everyone often commented on her determination and excitement for journalism.
After graduating from Vinton County High School last year, she spent last semester at OU’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and was also a part of the LINKS program. Her plan was to write for The Post and WOUB.
I spoke with some of her friends and professors here at OU about how much they’ll miss Ashley.
“Ashley was extremely strong, working hard to plan a better future for herself despite her illness,” said Micaela Marshall, a freshman at OU. “She will be missed by many.”
“I’ll never forget the night Ashley and I edited a video in the newsroom until three in the morning together,” said Cristina Sicard, another freshman at OU.
“Ashley brought a tremendous amount of excitement and energy to her journalistic endeavors,” said Pamela Walk, her JFresh professor. “I found her eager to learn new things and never gave any indication that she was ill, which says a lot about her personal strength.”
Even though we were in different groups in JFresh, I always noticed the passion she had to succeed and the hard work she put into her future.
Scripps School of Journalism Director Robert Stewart said he could not believe the ambition she inhabited, knowing that she was also battling cancer.
“Ashley obviously developed a community of relationships by the impact that her death has made on many,” Stewart said, “The fact that she was in JFresh and wanted to push herself demonstrates her ambition.”
Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones also expressed her condolences.
“Ashley was well loved in her community at home and had already made some deep friendships in her community here at Ohio University,” Hall-Jones said. “My heart goes out to all of her family and friends who are grieving. She will be deeply missed.”
Toward the end of first semester Ashley was forced to leave school and go home to see doctors after feeling under the weather. She told us that she was not feeling well, but she never mentioned cancer. She never wanted to be defined by her illness or treated differently, and for that, she’s incredibly admirable. When she returned, she said she was feeling better and she just needed surgery.
Her unbelievable bravery — and death that seemed so sudden — made her death truly shocking to so many people that met her at OU.
An Ohio University flag above Cutler Hall was at half staff after Ashley passed away. On Jan. 16, the day of her visitation, the flag was taken down and given to her family.
One of my fondest memories of college so far is Halloween, where I went out with Ashley and had such a fun time. All of us in our group didn’t even know she was sick.
Ashley had an impact on everyone she met and never let anything stop her from living her life with a smile. You learn to really cherish life and everyone you meet when someone so remarkable and so young passes away.
Sicard said it best: “Ashley never let her battle get in the way of living her dreams and for that she is a true hero.”
Chelsea Sick is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University and a writer for The Post’s local staff.
