Tragic loss to FIRST

[Mike Copioli]

Yesterday morning I was delivered news the no one wants to hear. A close friend and FRC mentor had suddenly passed away.

Mays Overton was a dear friend, mentor and co-founder of team 2851, Crevolution. His charismatic and inspiring personality was a gift to all who knew him.

Mays was passionate about many things including running. Yesterday morning while taking a jog with friend and team mentor Kent Goodier, Mays suddenly went into cardiac arrest. Kent, one of Mays' closest friends, performed CPR until EMS arrived. Several attempts to resuscitate him were made by EMS and continued on for over an hour at the hospital. He was only 27 years old.

Once in a while a light shines so bright that it can't possibly burn long. Mays was such a light. He was the kind of person it was impossible to dislike. For those of you who knew him, his eclectic personality and dynamic facial hair made him easy to spot at any event. This enthusiasm and charisma allowed him to reach students at their own level and made him one of the most effective mentors in all of FRC.

I am going to miss the times we had during build season. The laughs, the sharing of ideas and strategies, margaritas on Wednesday and wings on Thursday after team meetings.

My thoughts and sympathies go out to all who knew him, especially his family and fellow team members. This is a tough time for all of us who knew him. I can only imagine how tough this is for his family.

Below is a link to a video I put together with the help of his closest friends to help honor his memory. If you take the time to watch it you will see why we all adored him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4FeO...ature=youtu.be

[Tom Line]

Mike, I'm sorry for your loss, Crevolution's and FIRST. Did he have family? Is there a donation fund set up?

[moogboy]

I am sorry for your loss. It sounds like FIRST took a serious blow with this one. You, Crevolution, and Mays are all in Team 1701's prayers.

[Mike Copioli]

Originally Posted by Tom Line

Mike, I'm sorry for your loss, Crevolution's and FIRST. Did he have family? Is there a donation fund set up?

Tom,

Mays was survived by his mother father and two sisters. At this time there is no donation fund set up.

[Adam Freeman]

Mike,

So sorry for your, Crevolution, and Mays' family and friends loss.

I just saw him at Waterford a couple of days ago. Makes you realize our time is so precious, and put's into perspective what's really important and not important.

Sorry,
Adam

[zackgratti]

Mays will be dearly missed. Mays was more then jus a mentor. He was friend to all. He would be therefor you no matter what time of day. He would lighten up the tough times during build season. If stuff didn't work out. He would work with us until things get right. You will be tragically missed. RIP mays. The rest of the season is for you

[Squeakypig]

Thank you everyone for your kind words. Special thanks to you Mike, I know you are taking this just as hard if not harder than everyone on Crevo.

I met Mays in October of 2008 at Stevenson High School in Sterling Heights, Michigan. At first I thought he was kind of weird because of that blue trench coat he wore all of the time. He was one of the few mentors we had who helped create 2851. I was a student at the time and got to know him very well over those 2 years as a student. After I graduated, I wanted to stay working with the team as a Mentor. That is when Mays stopped being my teacher, and starting being my friend. And he did one hell of a job there. We had a lot of fun together nerding it out every day. Making jokes around the other mentors including programming references that nobody else could understand. Every tournament, relaying to him who we were up against, who we were with, which auton had to be run. Everything worked like clockwork. It's really hard to think how we will go on without him, but we have to. It's what he would have wanted.

Just wanted to share a little of my story with him. These 5 years have been very rewarding, and it would not have been the same without him. Rest in peace Mays.
#MaysOvertonIsMyHero

[Dancin103]

Our thoughts and prayers are with you, so sad.

- Team 103

[Mr. B 2851]

Thanks Mike for posting this. Mays was one of the best people I have ever known. Mays put the Inspiration into FIRST. He loved robots and engineering. He loved the students and they loved him back. His impact on our team and our alumni is profound. The saddest part is all of the future FIRST members who will only get to know Mays through the stories and images that live on. Unfortunately that will be horribly pale in comparison to the reality that was Mays Overton. He was a great mentor, a great person, and a great friend.

Bryan Battaglia
Head Mentor 2851

[Adam Freeman]

Originally Posted by Squeakypig

#MaysOvertonIsMyHero

THIS!

[Tyler Olds]

Tragic to hear, our thoughts and prayers are with you, Crevolution, and Mays' family.

- FRC2826 Wave Robotics

[Craig Roys]

This is absolutely tragic. My prayers and condolences go out to his family and friends.

[Crusty0628]

Mays was the first mentor I really clicked with when I joined Crevolution as a High School senior in 2010. He encouraged me to try out as our team's drive coach and spent countless hours helping me prepare for our competitions. He is the reason I continued with robotics after I attended my first Kick-Off and was a key factor in my decision to pursue an engineering degree. He was one of the most dedicated mentors FIRST has ever had, spending more hours at the build site than at his day job each week. If you have ever attended a competition that 2851 was at you would know him, either from hearing his enthusiastic cheers from 3 stands away, how he danced in the aisle way ever time the Chicken Dance was played, or by seeing him race through the pits to help his team that was in desperate need of a quick-fix. He was such a fun spirit and a wonderful advocate for the STEM fields and he will be missed terribly. We love you Mays..

[pmangels17]

Losing a mentor is tragic for any team, and having come from a similar situation just a few weeks ago, I unfortunately know the feeling all too well.

My condolences to everyone at Crevolution, may he watch over you in all your future endeavors.

-Paul Mangels
FRC Team 271

[maltz1881]

I am so sorry for your loss and FIRST's loss of a very charismatic man. It is never easy to lose somebody that we are so close to. Please give the team and his family, team 1322's condolences. They will all be in our thoughts and prayers.