Submitted by Fred Beneby
Sixty-Eight (68) years ago, as I was making my way to my seat while attending a football game in Miami, Florida, between South Carolina State and Bethune-Cookman College (B-CU), I heard a women’s voice as though it was from Heaven saying; “Young man have you decided to go to college”? I replied, “no mam, I quit school to go to work”. She then replied; “when you get your high school diploma, we would love to have you at Bethune-Cookman college”. Later-on I found out from my friend, John Saunders, who graduated from Bethune-Cookman college, that the women’s voice I heard was that of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, which John called Mother Mary. I then said to myself, “I sure hope to meet her again someday”!
On Friday, October 22, 2021, I decided to go to the lobby of the Daily News Journal to view the statue of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. As I entered the lobby, I heard that same voice I heard sixty-eight (68) years ago. It was a video presentation of Dr. Bethune and it was like hearing the voice of Heaven again. As I made my way through the lobby, reading all the informational posters that were placed in chronological order, depicting the origin of her journey, from Italy to Daytona Beach, I came to her magnificent statue. There she stood in all her beauty and splendor looking down on me as though saying “we finally meet again after all these years”.
I overheard many comments from other visitors from Canada, Europe and Asia saying how beautiful she looked, and it was the best piece of artwork they’ve ever seen.
It was wonderful to be able to view her statue and hear her heavenly voice again. Perhaps one day we shall meet again on the other side (Heaven).
