Our why.
Phillip Mitchell “Mitch” Davis hit the ground on his tippy-toes on April 22, 1979 at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Riding bikes, fishing, kneeboarding (because he couldn’t ski) and tennis defined his adolescence. An annoyingly prepared strategist at tennis, he was a hell of a competitor in both ALTA and USTA leagues going so far as to win the City Championships Mixed Doubles with his mom. After graduating from Lassiter High School in 1997, he meandered his way up I-75 to Rocky Top. It’s there where never-to-be-broken bonds were made with friends of every walk. That was Mitch. Met him once? You were “his boy”. Knew him 20 years? You were “his boy”. That is what we celebrate.
With his Grinch-smile and quick wit, Mitch worked hard, long hours as a server and claims the Knoxville record (no one kept track…) for tips in a night all the while he was working towards obtaining his degree from The University of Tennessee. Upon graduation, he jumped wholeheartedly into the overwhelmingly exhilarating world of retail plumbing sales. It’s an invitation-only type of career at which he excelled profusely.
To recap.
Walks on his tip-toes, plays tennis, claims records that no one wants & sells plumbing.
But he’s hella loyal. He’s the ride or die only a few of us got. He loved everyone. He loved some harder than others but no one more than Andrea.
Andrea and Mitch were married after what can be only imagined as an adventurous courtship surrounded by friends, loved ones and what some have described as the most questionable gathering of bridesmaids & groomsmen to ever assemble in a place of worship…
Andrea & Mitch bore down and worked on loving one another and their careers. They excelled at both. Their family grew by one with the addition of Hayden and just a few years later Camden all the while putting in long hours working and rewarding themselves with memorable vacations with their extended family to the beach and beyond.
But a “normal” day at home had Mitch totally committed to his household whether spending time with Andrea, tossing a baseball, on a driving range or deep in the throes of trying to Find Nemo, you can guarantee Mitch was all in. He loved his folks.
Short story short. Mitch loved hard and wanted the best for his family. We do too. That’s why this event exists.
Welcome to the family.