Life itself is delicate, almost like a flower; one minor change and it can be swept away forever. I will never forget that beautiful summer day July 5th, 2010 when heaven gained a new angel. The smell of early summer, and the feeling of sorrow. The room was crowded with family, friends. And, the hospice nurse. We all knew what was coming but no one wanted to accept it. Around 1:00p.m. Her body went cold, her skin cleared up, the grayish hue vanished from her skin, and she was finally at peace; out of her pain and misery.

In my case I lost my best friend, Kathryne, when I was just 14 years old. Kathryne’s death was a turning point in my life. She was dead; yet I was reborn. Usually something positive always follows something negative, in my case that was untrue. My rebirth was not for the best. I turned into someone I never thought I would be, I had become a depressed unsocial person. The smile that used to always be on my face quickly faded and my room became my best friend. The thought of going outside made me sick to my stomach. I absolutely hated my life. My mother began to worry about my wellbeing. She was afraid to leave me by myself. She signed me up for counseling, where I was supposed to learn how to cope with my problems and come out of my depression. Life has never be the same for me. I will never be that happy girl I once was and the depression will never fully go away.

Waking up in the morning is always a constant battle, I sit up all night and think about the what ifs and, if we would have still been friends today. Writing letters to her takes a lot of my stress and anxiety away. Kathryne and I still wear bracelet that says “Friends Forever.” I wear mine on my wrist and she lays with hers in the ground. The bracelet gives comforts me. I feel like she is still here with me today. Losing her allowed me to cherish my life, and grow into a person who has the desire to help other families who are dealing with loss.

Kathryne once said “Never be mad at Jesus” that was a quote she lived by. She had a very strong relationship with God and wanted everyone to know the wonders and plans that he had in store for her after she was gone from this life. Minch would dream about the day she would die. She had dreams about God telling her why she was “The Chosen One” In her dreams God didn’t want her to explain why or when she would die. Kathryne was a strong, and caring friend a person who wasn’t afraid of death, when he came calling. She was and is an inspiration especially in my eyes and in the eyes of other young adults. Kathryne was and always will be my Best Friend.