Mother keeps daughter's memory alive with 'Marah Project'

BY Ursula Reutin  on February 14, 2013 @ 6:46 am (Updated: 9:50 am - 2/14/13 )

marahproject.jpg
At the age of 12, Marah was a star pitcher, throwing a softball at more than 60 miles an hour. She was also an amazing ballet dancer. But LeGate says as gifted as she was, she wasn't happy. Marah was a sensitive soul who took on the world's problems. | Zoom
After her daughter's death from a heroin overdose, longtime Seattle television journalist Penny LeGate found a special way to honor her memory. She's created a project to help other struggling teens get on a path to a better life.

As a former KIRO TV anchor and host of Evening Magazine, LeGate is used to telling other people's stories, but this one is painful and personal.

"Marah was an extraordinarily gifted child. She was given great intelligence, beauty and sensitivity," she says. "And a caring heart."

At the age of 12, Marah was a star pitcher, throwing a softball at more than 60 miles an hour. She was also an amazing ballet dancer. But LeGate says as gifted as she was, she wasn't happy. Marah was a sensitive soul who took on the world's problems.

"When she started going through puberty, that's when everything went dark. She was rebellious, wanted to experiment, and she kind of went off into this dark place," LeGate says. "This is when her depression, anxiety and ADHD issues came up."

Marah starting experimenting with pot and alcohol, and then cocaine. LeGate and her then-husband, Mike Williams, tried everything to get her to stop: counseling, medication, tough love, pleading. The drugs had such a powerful grip on her.

"She would say 'Mom, why do I have to be like this? Why can't I be like other kids? Why did I go to this place and why can't I stop?,'" she says. "She would tell me the only time she would feel normal was when she would use."

When Marah was 16, they sent her to a treatment facility in Tucson, Arizona for three months. In this state, kids who are 14 years or older can walk away from treatment without their parents consent. They were desperate to help her kick her addiction.

When she came home, Marah was better but not for long. She started using again, this time, getting hooked on Oxycontin. When the pills became too expensive, she turned to heroin.

"I was absolutely shocked when I heard heroin. I said 'Oh, my gosh, heroin, are you kidding me? I have a child who's addicted to heroin?'" LeGate says she never thought that would be her reality.

Marah was also scared of the power that heroin had over her and she voluntarily went into detox and treatment again. But she couldn't fight off her demons, and on June 12, 2012, LeGate's worst fear was realized. At the age of 19, Marah overdosed on heroin in the basement of their home.

"Yeah, I found her. That's your worst nightmare right there. What else do I have to fear?" she asks. "Nothing."

As she was grieving the loss of her youngest daughter, LeGate knew she needed to do something to help other kids who are struggling. In her memory, she created the Marah Project.

Rather than setting up a scholarship program for kids who succeed easily, the family wanted to create a paid internship opportunity for kids in the Middle College program. They are alternative high schools that are part of the Seattle Public Schools' safety net program. LeGate says it's the reason Marah was able to graduate from high school on time.

Through the Marah Project, students at the Northgate Middle College will get paid internships at a community service organization so they not only earn an income, but they also get valuable work experience and have something on their resume. She knows it's something Marah would want her to do.

"As horrible as it is to have lost her, I somehow feel peaceful about where she is now," LeGate says. "It's like she has her hand on my shoulder and is saying I'm sorry you're having to live with this, but I'm okay and I'm finally peaceful."

Discover more about the Marah Project:
Get involved with the Marah Project

Ursula Reutin, KIRO Radio Reporter
Ursula Reutin is the news anchor for The Dori Monson Show and has worked nearly every position in the KIRO Radio newsroom since her arrival in 1988.
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Comments (51)


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  • Keitho wrote...
    Tragic
    February 14, 2013 7:11 am
    Such a beautiful young lady. Hard to imagine. Sounds as if, unlike some, she at least recognized her problem and really wanted to be free of the drugs. My heart goes out to her parents.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lonestar wrote...
    Yep
    February 14, 2013 8:17 am
    Legalizing dope was a really great idea.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • DonVigo wrote...
    Some people...
    February 14, 2013 8:42 am
    Are idiots, others are a-holes, but congratulations sir on being both. How "legalizing dope" ties into the death of a young lady who's drug problems stem from well before the inititive passed is nearly as baffling as to how this is the proper place to air your issues with it. Grow a heart and/or a brain.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Don Vigo
    February 14, 2013 9:17 am
    Agreed. This is about the life of a young girl who lost her way. Lone star & HPD 5-0. I usually agree with you guys but you posts were chickenshit cheap shots an totally inappropriate for this particular story. This was someone's child. Have on friiggin class you dicks!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Lone star & HPD 5-0
    February 14, 2013 9:22 am
    Again, This was someones child. Have some class you dickheads!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Legalizing dope was a really great idea.
    February 14, 2013 8:52 am
    You beat me to it...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • WashingtonCitizen wrote...
    Marah starting experimenting with pot and alcohol, and then cocaine.
    February 14, 2013 9:00 am
    Yup! Try to tell me again that pot isn't a gateway drug.........
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Wa citizen
    February 14, 2013 9:20 am
    This was someone's child. Save your, classless, chickenshit commentary for another story.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    WashingtonCitizen
    February 14, 2013 8:08 pm
    I understand most drug users also drank milk and ate apple pie.Are they "gate way " foods
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • diverphil wrote...
    And ALCOHOL too
    February 14, 2013 8:59 pm
    So if Marijuana is a gateway, so is alcohol. Time to go back to prohibition then right?! Don't be hypocrites.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    ..alcohol is also a gate way drug.
    February 17, 2013 8:14 am
    but you miss the point. She lost control of her daughter. Marah was experimenting with drugs and booze at a young age and was not checked hard enough, fast enough and early enough. Gifted, but Marah was not gifted enough to not hang out with dopers as a young teen and got herself addicted to one of the drugs that you cant just walk away from, while her less gifted classmates forewent choosing to get get high and stayed and school and studied. Reminds me of the book, Ask Alice. Sorry, but I dont see her as an extraordinarily gifted child, I see her as someone who made stupid decisions and as a result DIED horribly. I wont give a dime to the charity, but I would gladly donate a bullet into her pusher.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ToldYa wrote...
    with that reasoning
    February 17, 2013 12:19 pm
    guns do kill people... otherwise there would be some semblance of personal responsibility. no?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Newton wrote...
    This is a very sad story of course.
    February 14, 2013 9:32 am
    I have noticed those with great gifts also come with faults also. Many very bright people have issues with this world and how it runs. Drugs was her escape from what ever it was. Unresolvable issues. That lead to her death. It happens leaving those behinde in wonderment. So sad for penny that she sufferd such a loss. Dana Plato comes to my mind another great talent and lost way to young. Dana Plato's story should be told to all people with an addiction. Karen Carpenter another with great talent lost.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BigBlackGuy wrote...
    Heavy Duty!
    February 14, 2013 10:52 am
    Wow.. I had no idea this happen to Penny, she's one of my favorites in the media. I hope her story help others. R.I.P Marah.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ToldYa wrote...
    penny
    February 14, 2013 12:22 pm
    while tragic, how can anyone have a kid addicted to heroin and not know... at least suspect that somethings up?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleNative wrote...
    They knew she had substance abuse problems
    February 14, 2013 12:58 pm
    She tried multiple times at treatment. I believe it was four. They did all they could for her.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cougsfan34 wrote...
    Wait a second
    February 14, 2013 1:48 pm
    Wait, you guys on this website are more then happy to bash anyone else and their problems(including me). But when it is a "public figure" like a former TV anchor who had a kid who was a heroine junkie, everyone jumps on the sympathy train. -It did sound like pot was a gateway drug, just like her drinking and her ADHD. All of those factors probably contributed to this. -Sometimes kids get hooks on this S*hIt because they are seeking an outlet from their home. Sometimes its because they have nothing at home. Sometimes, its just human curiousity. Its nice that she created a charity in her honor, but like the vast majority of charities. They fall out of the collective mind once next weeks stories are posted here.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    I do not bash anyone
    February 17, 2013 9:36 am
    With a substance abuse problem. Especially the Mother of a daughter who died of a drug overdose. I do however, bash hypocrites and asssholes....and there are a lot of them posting on this story.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • southsoundgrl wrote...
    Sometimes it is a combination of issues
    February 14, 2013 4:01 pm
    Gateway drugs don't help and it's too simple to put the blame of a tragedy like this in that camp. And it's not always just "bad" parenting. Sometimes it comes down to a persons' "wiring". Ms. LeGate even describes her daughter as a sensitive soul. For that type of person the world is just too painful and they seek solace in drugs to numb everything they feel. Some get through it and some don't. It's very brave of her mom to share something so private and painful.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zagnut wrote...
    I don't understand some of the comments on this thread.
    February 14, 2013 5:39 pm
    Legalizing a drug like marijuana will make marijuana use more common - especially among our youth. That seems obvious to me. Maybe some disagree, but I don't know why.

    Any story of someone who was sucked into a life of drugs at an early age that eventually led to the death of that person (at an early age) seems like legitimate evidence that legalizing marijuana is a bad idea.

    I find it hard to fathom that Penny would argue.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    NUT
    February 14, 2013 8:13 pm
    Yeah kids really have difficulty getting a hold of pot ,are you truly that naive or are you simply the local knucklehead?Sorry Nut but weed is as legal as buying a soft drink.I've been to Amsterdam several times and the sky isn't falling because you can go to a "coffee shop" and get a buzz on
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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