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ODYSSEY Media Group

  • Home
  • News
    • All Breaking News Event Coverages Q&A World News
      News

      Building leaders

      March 4, 2026

      Event Coverages

      Event Coverage: Black History Month Program

      March 2, 2026

      News

      Event Preview: ACCA Pop-up Shop

      March 2, 2026

      News

      Semifinalist future

      February 28, 2026

      Breaking News

      Breaking news: CCSD announces STAR Students

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      Breaking news: New CCHS head varsity volleyball coach…

      January 30, 2026

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      Op/ed.

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      Op/ed.

      Validating vaccines

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      Broadcast

      Behind the Scenes: Spring Media Day 2026

      February 26, 2026

      Slider

      Match preview: CCHS girls varsity tennis vs. Hart…

      February 25, 2026

      Profiles

      In her DNA

      February 24, 2026

      Slider

      CCHS boys varsity soccer season preview

      February 17, 2026

      By the Numbers

      By the numbers: CCHS vs. Roswell High School…

      November 20, 2025

      By the Numbers

      By the Numbers: CCHS vs. Effingham County High…

      November 13, 2025

      By the Numbers

      By the Numbers: CCHS vs. Winder-Barrow High School…

      October 29, 2025

      By the Numbers

      By the Numbers: Athens Rock Lobsters vs. the…

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      Game Coverage

      Breaking news: CCHS varsity football advances to Sweet…

      November 15, 2025

      Game Coverage

      Game Coverage: 59th Classic City Championship

      August 18, 2025

      Game Coverage

      Game Coverage: Athens Rock Lobsters vs. Monroe Moccasins

      March 3, 2025

      Game Coverage

      Game coverage: CCHS vs. Cedar Shoals High School…

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      Op/ed.

      Liya’s Lineup: WNBA

      November 10, 2025

      Op/ed.

      Setting the standard

      August 14, 2025

      Op/ed.

      Tell me the odds

      April 21, 2025

      Op/ed.

      Equal, not equitable

      October 17, 2024

      Profiles

      In her DNA

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      Profiles

      Leaving a legacy: Q&A with CCHS varsity football…

      November 11, 2025

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      Swimming towards success: Q&A with CCHS varsity swim…

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      Questioning why

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      Questioning why

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      300 Word Story

      An open book

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      300 Word Story

      Carrying core values

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      300 Word Story

      The Overpass

      April 17, 2025

      Hot Topic

      Hot Topic: Five things to know about Groundhog…

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      Hot Topic

      Hot Topic: Five Grammy Award predictions

      February 1, 2026

      Hot Topic

      Infographic: Hanukkah

      December 17, 2025

      Hot Topic

      Infographic: SNAP

      December 11, 2025

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      Review: Anatomy of an Alibi

      January 29, 2026

      Reviews

      Review: Starbucks’ Iced Dubai Chocolate Matcha

      January 21, 2026

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      Review: “Zootopia 2”

      December 8, 2025

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      Quest for Athens’ Best: Wing Wars

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      Gallery: 2026 Black History Month Program

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      Multimedia

      2026 Black History Month Package

      February 27, 2026

      Galleries

      Gallery: East Athens Educational Dance Center performance

      March 1, 2026

      Galleries

      Gallery: 2026 Black History Month Program

      February 28, 2026

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      Gallery: Athens Farmers Market

      February 16, 2026

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      Gallery: CCHS vs. East Hall High School boys…

      February 12, 2026

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      The glory of ’85

      November 24, 2025

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      This I Believe: Creativity shapes personality

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      Central Sports Spotlight with Dream Freeman: Dr. Stefan…

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BlogsSliderViewpoints

The absence of your presence

January 29, 2017

 

News Editor Delia Adamson and Broadcast Editor Karla Dougan have been best friends since first grade at Barrow Elementary School. Dougan survived a car crash on Dec. 31, 2016 and is currently receiving treatment at Shepherd Hospital in Atlanta, GA. Throughout the years of their friendship, Adamson and Dougan have created many memories. Photo collage by Delia Adamson.
By DELIA ADAMSON – Print News Editor

Print News Editor Delia Adamson writes a letter to her best friend and Broadcast Editor Karla Dougan, who survived a car accident on Dec. 31, 2016.

To my best friend,

I often pick up my phone to text you.
To tell you about my day and then hear you rant all about yours.
We never go a day without talking to each other anyway.
We’ve always been known as the inseparable pair.
But then I am forced to remember that day in my life I can never forget,
Although I wish I could.

I remember getting the phone call from Saidee.
I remember dropping down to my knees.
I remember screaming, crying and hyperventilating.
I was supposed to go over to your house to get ready for that party,
remember?
But instead, I spent that evening in a hospital,
watching you be carried away on a helicopter and sent to Grady.

And that night my non-religious body knelt on the ground and prayed for so long, I fell asleep on the floor.

I don’t want you to think that I have forgotten about you.
As you lay there in that hospital,
67.3 miles away from me.
I miss you more and more every day.
I am not me…without you.

I miss hearing you yell my name loudly,
whenever I didn’t know what was going on.
How we were going to have a house in Spain,
and the beach,
and the mountains.
I miss us talking about the future,
about how we were always going to stay best friends.

Since the accident, people always ask me if I am O.K.,
but I always just say no.

I am never going to be O.K..

When people look at me now, all they see is the absence of your presence.
I often find myself looking to my left,
only to realize you’re not there.
It’s funny how someone can always be there and then,
they’re not.

I will always love you,
Your best friend, Delia

Print Lead Copy Editor Jordan Rhym’s song to Karla. 

More from Delia Adamson

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Delia Adamson

Delia Adamson is senior at Clarke Central High School and currently serves as the Managing Editor of the ODYSSEY Media Group and a Writing Coach and Facilitator of the Introduction to Journalism class. This her fourth year on staff and has also served as a News staff writer, Public Relations Manager, Writing Coach and News Editor.

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