Mariah Gonzales was born on May 27, 1993, in Enumclaw, Washington to Dixie Tegard and Victor Gonzales. In her childhood and teen years Mariah lived in Kona, Hawaii. She was a bright and curious student. She loved nothing more than to hang out with her friends at the beach. She was such an incredibly gifted soccer player, that her coaches recognized that she had professional soccer prospects. She was free-spirited and her gentle spirit was read by all animals, but especially dogs. It didn’t matter how big or potentially mean the dog might be, Mariah could communicate and make a tight connection with them. She also loved children and children loved her back.
Before Mariah’s addiction troubles started, her mother remembers taking her daughter to a doctor’s appointment in Kent. They rode the bus together in the rain. And when they arrived Mariah chose to go in to see the doctor by herself. When she came out she had a troubled look on her face. The doctor had informed Mariah that she would never be able to have children of her own. Dixie turned to her daughter and said, encouragingly: “Don’t lose hope. This means you are meant to adopt. Children will still be in your life. We will adopt children!” Mariah’s spirits lifted and she radiated her famous beaming smile. Together they started running in the rain. As they were running across the street, drenched, Mariah called back, “Hurry up, mommy!” And when they reached the other side of the road, Mariah reached up and swept the damp hair off of her mother’s face and said, sweetly, “Your face is so beautiful when your hair is wet and moved away from your face.” They walked in to a Fred Meyer to buy a coffee at Starbucks to warm themselves, and, against her better judgement, Dixie let Mariah order her coffee. It turned out to be the worst cup of coffee she ever had, but also the very best, because her daughter had bought it for her. Dixie drank it with relish. They shopped for a few items in Fred Meyer and when they went to the checkout stand, there was a very good looking cashier and Mariah caught her own mother staring at this guy. Mariah said, mock-chastising her, smiling that beautiful smile, “I just can’t take you anywhere with me can I, mom?!!!” It is a sweet moment that Dixie will cherish forever.
Mariah was an exceptionally bright, outgoing person, and easy to talk to. She will be remembered for many things but also for her alluring beauty. Her mom says, “guys would just run into buildings to look at her.” She was a beautiful human being.
Mariah wanted to get well. She did not want to die. Despite Mariah’s valiant intention to overcome her drug addiction, the scourge of Mariah’s pneumonia, asthma, MERSA and her addiction stopped her sweet heart. Mariah Gonzales died the day after her 27th birthday, on May 28, 2020. The day Mariah died, we died along with her. We will miss her every day for the rest of our lives. The pain of her death is heartbreaking to us and intolerable, which is why stories like Mariah’s should not be ignored.
Her mother knows that Mariah loved her deeply throughout her life, and recognizes that it was the disease that pushed her away many times. She urges all who struggle like Mariah did, that they don’t need to be alone. Dixie’s message to all who struggle with addiction: “Please don’t push your family members away. We love you so much.”
Mariah was preceded in death by her beloved grandpa Ronald Tegard and her grandmother who she never knew.
She leaves behind her heartbroken mother, Dixie Tegard, a little brother Bryson, who she loved very much. She is also survived by her father Victor Gonzales. She says a fond goodbye to her dear friend…and her soulmate on this earth, Heather.
We will miss this beautiful young woman, Mariah. But we will treasure the memory of her deeply in our hearts. Forever.
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