To this day, Donna Echols regrets not taking a photo of her ex-husband, Jim Mabus, during their family’s Easter holiday gathering last year. Although they had been divorced for some time, Echols still maintained a great friendship with Mabus, the father to her sons, Denver and Jake.
“He went by the nickname ‘Diamond Jim,’” Echols said in an interview with the Mississippi Free Press on June 27. “He had a story about everything, a joke for every occasion. He was a great father to four sons and a really good friend to those who knew him.”
Jim Mabus (center) died on May 4, 2023, a week after suffering a stroke at a home in Jackson, Miss. Mabus’ ex-wife, Donna Echols, said she waited more than 90 minutes for an ambulance to respond to her calls for help. He is seen here with his sons Jake Mabus (left) and Denver Mabus (right). Photo courtesy of Donna Echols ” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button” src=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols-1024×683.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1″ alt=”A man and his two sons stand together outside” class=”wp-image-44201″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols-1024×683.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px” data-recalc-dims=”1″>Jim Mabus (center) died on May 4, 2023, a week after suffering a stroke at a home in Jackson, Miss. Mabus’ ex-wife, Donna Echols, said she waited more than 90 minutes for an ambulance to respond to her calls for help. He is seen here with his sons Jake Mabus (left) and Denver Mabus (right). Photo courtesy of Donna Echols
Often, Mabus came over to Echols’ home in Jackson, Miss., and the pair shared meals with the family.
So it was no surprise to Echols when Mabus agreed to look after her North Jackson home and care for her pets in April 2023 while she traveled out of the country for her son’s wedding.
Unbeknownst to them both, that Easter was the last holiday they would spend together. And what happened next would spur a legislative effort to change how counties make contracts with ambulance services.
‘I’ve Never Asked For Anything Personal, But I’m Asking For
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