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LYRIC’S LIGHT SHINES ON |
Just after midnight on September 20, 1980, a beautiful blessing occurred. Lyric. Suburban Hospital in Overland Park, KS, illuminated that day as Lyric Marie Benson began a wonderful journey. It was a journey in which she captured the hearts and souls of those she touched along the way. A child who immediately began 'soaking in' the world, Lyric favored learning and reading over tantrums and tirades. An early and avid reader, she was rarely found without several books accompanying her. She helped balance her childhood with efforts in the athletic arena. From about age seven through high school, Lyric participated in soccer, basketball, track, volleyball, and softball. Though she knew that sports were not her destiny, she developed textbook techniques in shooting a basketball and throwing or batting in softball. Her love in life seemed to have followed her name. Lyric began to develop a sense of the "dramatic" at an early age. She was funny, clever, creative, and engaging with family and friends. It was at age six, however, that she first performed at a deck party in front of many people. It was a lip-sync party and she performed three songs. Lyric was the unexpected star of the party! From that point, there were more than ten lip-sync deck parties in which she wowed the crowd. During those years, she learned to play the piano, the violin, and developed a true singing talent. Attending theater and performing in theater became her desire. Entertaining was a part of her. After attending her prep years at an American School in Casablanca, Morocco, Lyric was prepared for the biggest and best parts of her life. Having graduated as valedictorian of her high school, she was selected to attend Yale where she graduated in Theater Studies. Her next step was the Big Apple. Within a few months, Lyric was working hard through her casting agents to compete in a tough industry. With her evening work as a hostess at a popular restaurant, and routine dedication in the gym, she began to become a part of her New York surroundings. Auditions began to click. She earned minor roles with Comedy Central, All My Children, Law and Order, and did commercial voice-overs. Her biggest breakthrough came with a print ad in the New Yorker magazine for American Express, sponsor of the TriBeCa Film Festival. That ad blossomed into numerous posters and billboards throughout New York City. She was on her way. Then, the unimaginable. Lyric was tragically gunned down by an ex-boyfriend. Her love for life transcended this dark moment, however, as she donated life-saving organs to sustain five lives. Lyric was a beautiful person in all ways. Her light now shines on through others. Her memory is a blessing etched forever in our minds. She loved life. She gave life. |