On Oct. 26, Hardin-Simmons University hosted its homecoming game and all of the activities that came with it.
Just one of the many highlights of a busy weekend was the crowning of the 2024 Homecoming King and Queen. All of the court was brought onto the playing field where Alex Govea and Mercedes Mummert were crowned king and queen.
They were both thrilled by the honor, but Mummert didn't feel quite right about it.
“I felt very honored to receive it in the first place and respect the tradition and gesture,” Mercedes Mummert, a senior biology major and pre PT major from Albuquerque, N.M., said. “I just genuinely didn't feel like it was right to have the university crown and title when there was someone else who so clearly did.”
On Oct. 31, Lacey Bilyeu, a senior music major from Pampa, received a text from Mummert saying that she had left something at Bilyeu’s work, saying it was small and not a big deal. Bilyeu went into work to find a note from Mummert along with flowers, the sash and the homecoming crown.
The note read, “I think it is only right that you end up with all this. Consider it from Kaley as you have always been and always will be royalty to her. There are a lot more people more deserving of this than me, but no one more deserving than you.”
Bilyeu said she found the note very comforting.
“I lost my sister on September 20th due to a drunk driver, so when I read Mercy’s note and how she wanted it to be like it was from Kaley herself, it brought me a lot of joy.” Bilyeu said. “It's not the material object, it's her act of kindness and wanting to honor my sister even though she doesn't know me and doesn’t know her.”
Mummert said she felt like Bliyeu deserved the crown, so she only did what she believed was right. “I did it because it didn't feel right receiving something that I felt so deeply about rightfully belonged to someone else, so I simply just gave it back to the person I felt it belonged to in the first place,” Mummert said.
“I asked the University to give everything to her to take pictures but as a vote they asked that I receive it first and then I could do whatever I wanted with it. So I did. I think society has really fallen into giving attention and praise to doing the right thing rather than just expecting individuals to do what is right. What I did was not a charity case. I felt very honored to receive it in the first place and respect the tradition and gesture. I just genuinely didn't feel like I was deserving or it was right to have the university crown and title when there was someone else who so clearly did.”
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