Toni, As I Knew Her

It was during the early morning hours of Sunday, October 10th, 2021 this world lost a friend, Toni Macri-Reiner. Her death was an incredible shock to her family, friends, and the many communities to which she belonged: hypnosis and hypnosis trainers, healers, artists, Windsor Park neighbors, and others.

We met in Numerology class a decade ago. It was one of those “I think we could be friends” moments. And friends we did become. We soon brought our spouses into the mix and had some great adventures together: a day trip to Camp Chesterfield in Anderson, IN, a one-woman Broadway-style show performed by one of her daughter’s school chums, various evenings watching her husband, Art percuss, including in the orchestra for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, bicycling around downtown and picnicking on carry-out Indian food. Fireworks from the best seat in town–their rooftop balcony at 9th and Meridian. A gathering at Toni’s always meant meeting delightful people–artists, musicians, grown-up hippies, young people, the type of folks who live in cool apartments downtown. 

But I suppose my favorite memories are playing cards and board games, sharing plant-based, gluten-free meals, laughing uncontrollably over the dessert she made from roasted then frozen sweet potatoes, or just sitting around our fire pit. Oh, and there’s the time she and I had to climb out of the rumble seat of BF’s 1936 Ford, at the 4-way stop at Smith Valley and Averitt Roads to help push the car into a nearby parking lot so he could get it started again.

In the time I knew her, Toni lived in two homes, and just being there always reminded me I was in the presence of an artist. I missed the part of her life where she carted a trailer full of hand-made pottery to art fairs, all by herself, all over the country. Brave. Independent.

She had a great voice. Rich and soothing. Exactly the kind of voice you’d want in your hypnotherapist. She taught me to tap, using my finger tip, a series of taps on my forehead, beneath my eye, and then on my sternum to relieve my anxiety surrounding driving. 

Tony was a thinker. She was in the know and was always ready with a book title, a podcast, a documentary, or movie for me. She was tuned in to her keen intuition and matters of spirituality and allowed other people the freedom to “be” like no one I’ve ever known. She just had shit figured out. We had many a spirited conversation about politics, the kind one can only have with someone with whom you share similar beliefs. 

My heart goes out to Art, her husband of 43 years, and to her beautiful family of whom she was extremely proud. She loved sharing the latest pictures and videos of her daughters and grandsons.  And to her neighbors who lost a good one. And to her professional colleagues who suffered a great loss. And to her many friends, like BF and me, who are just so, damn, sad.

And to Toni, whose final text to me was a thumbs up, we miss you. Rest in peace, my friend, and have so much fun being an Angel.