Thirty minutes into the movie, my phone vibrated. Mom, what could you possibly need?! I’m on a date! Then my phone vibrated an additional six times. Two minutes later, my phone buzzed again. My dad’s name appeared on my phone this time.

Thinking I was in trouble, I walked out of the theater to answer.

“Hi, Dad. It’s not the best time. Can I call you later?” I whispered.

“No honey, I need you to come home now,” he said.

I hung up without responding, ran back to grab my boyfriend and left. I knew something was wrong. I could tell in both the urgency and his tone. Questions raced through my mind… Did my dog die? Is my nana OK? Do we have to move yet again?

I tried not to get ahead of myself as I sprinted toward the front door. I swung open the door to find my dad, tears streaming down his face. My mom emerged from behind him and said, “Georgie was in an accident. Christina…He didn’t make it.”

Emotions began to take over my thoughts. Memories flashed through my mind as I absorbed the information I was just told. After hearing the news, it still did not seem real.

At sixteen ? full of life ? my cousin was deprived of a future. After hearing what had just occurred, all I could think about was Georgie’s dreams. He wanted to open a business, write his own music, and start a band. Now, none of that could happen.

Within 30 minutes, my family packed into the car for a six-hour drive occupied with tears, silence, and questions. My sisters and I had never experienced a loss in our family. Why is this happening now? Why do we have to go through this? Why did Georgie get hit by a car?

As we walked through the front door of my cousin’s house, everything felt different. My nana stood there, sobbing. The realization hit me. I was just with him, celebrating the Fourth of July, and now, less than a month later, I was back in Florida for his funeral.

Through the loss of my cousin, I have learned everything changes. It’s hard to explain how a loss affects a family. Family gatherings, holidays, and significant moments in life are never the same. Georgie showed me what it takes to be a genuinely good person. He was the person to offer his help, share, and make others smile.

As I begin this next chapter in my life, at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, I hope to always remember what Georgie had taught me: give my all, be me, and most importantly, to always push myself. Whether in school, social life, or everyday activities, I will strive to be the person Georgie would be proud of.