NOTE: May and June are always big months around high schools. The games are more important and there is graduation day, and the prom. Plus, Father‘s Day comes around in June and Mother’s Day in May, which is actually Sunday.

During previous Mays and Junes, Tom Williams has turned over his column to CAL athletes and others from the sports community for special wishes. Last year it was Gabby Henry and Brian Cunniff. Before that, the Cappelletti sisters from Middle Township and OCHS baseball star Evan Taylor, Nicholl and Abbey Fenton, Danielle and Andrew Donoghue, Stephanie Gaitley, Matt Woolley, Jeff Boyd, Allison Rinck, Erik Geisinger, Owen Ritti, Doug Colman, Allie Moreland, Tracey LeFever, the Degenhardt sisters, Chelsea Bruno, Danielle McNally, Dave & Casey Beyel, the Mensinger brothers, the Donahue sisters, the Impagliazzos, the Baruffis and Shaune McLaughlin, among others, to write about their fathers. Plus Joe Repetti wrote about his mother and Tori Rolls about her grandfather.

32 of them are available HERE.

This year, Ocean City High School graduate Gabrielle Davis writes about her mother. Gabrielle was a cheerleader for the Raiders and Homecoming Queen during her senior year (2005-2006). Her sister, Jasmine, followed her as Homecoming Queen and her youngest sister, Kendell, was a multi-sport athlete. Gabrielle attended school for medical billing and coding. She is engaged to Wallace Gilchrist and they have been raising their five children: OCHS field hockey star Nya Gilchrist, also a Homecoming Queen; two-sport athlete James (J.R.) Gilchrist; Eva Gilchrist, who is in fifth grade and plays soccer and basketball for Upper Township; Kaelyn Gilchrist, who is in fourth grade and plays soccer, basketball, and lacrosse for Upper Township; and Aria Gilchrist, who is four years old and will start school this September.

Gabrielle’s mother – her maiden name was Jodi Hickman – had a great track career at Ocean City. She was named to the Raiders’ All-Century Team and set a record in the 100 meters that lasted for nearly a quarter of a century. In later years she became known as Mama Jo in the Ocean City community.

By GABRIELLE DAVIS, Guest Columnist

Mother’s Day is more than just a day on the calendar for me this year; it is a time to honor a woman whose strength, love, and resilience shaped me into the woman I am today. For me, that woman is my mother, Jodi Sutton Davis.

If I had to describe her in one phrase, it would be this: a bull in a china shop. Not because she was careless but because she was powerful, unstoppable, and never afraid to move through life with force and determination. She didn’t tiptoe around obstacles. She faced them head-on, no matter how difficult they were.

She was also like a diamond, raw and uncut. Real, unfiltered, and authentic in every way. She never pretended to be anything she wasn’t, and that’s what made her so rare.

Like a diamond, her life went through phases. There was pressure, the kind that could have broken anyone else, but instead, it shaped her. There were moments where life tried to wear her down, but she only became stronger. And over time, through every hardship and every sacrifice, she was refined, not changed at her core, but strengthened, shining even brighter through it all.

My mom’s story was one of strength from the very beginning. As a graduate of OCHS in 1983, she made her mark in track and field, holding a record in the 100-meter dash (1981). That alone to me spoke of her drive, her discipline, and her ability to push beyond limits. But what truly defined her wasn’t just what she accomplished on the track; it was how she carried that same determination through life.

Life brought her hurdles far greater than any race could offer. And still, she kept going. Through every challenge, every setback, and every sacrifice, she continued to move forward, not just for herself, but for her children and grandchildren.

Her love could never be measured. It was unconditional, unwavering, and deeply rooted in everything she did. As a mother and grandmother, she gave her whole heart, always putting her children and grandchildren first, no matter the cost. That kind of love is rare, and it is something I will carry with me every single day.

She taught me what integrity looked like, doing the right thing even when it was hard. She showed me resilience, how to stand back up when life tried to knock me down. And through her sacrifices, she proved what it truly meant to love selflessly.

There was a strength in her that people saw, but there was also a softness, a deep emotional core that reflected just how much she cared. Everything she did came from love, and that love continues to live on through all of us.

Though she passed on December 17, 2025, her presence has never truly left. I see her in the lessons she taught, the love she gave, and the strength she instilled in me.

On this Mother’s Day, I don’t just remember my mom; I honor her.

Thank you for your strength.

Thank you for your sacrifices.

Thank you for your unconditional love.

I am who I am because of you, and I will carry everything you gave me for the rest of my life.

I love you, Mom.