Soon, it will be three years that we've had to live without you...

Soon, another one of your birthday's will come and go without you here.

I need you to hug me and tell me everything will be okay, but you can't.

I can't message you. I can't call. I won't accidentally run into you.

I can only see you in old pictures and hear you in old videos.

You're gone, and I still can't wrap my head around that.

Losing you has been the hardest thing I've ever gone through.

I'll always remember that day: I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw a post that said: "We'll miss you Damion James".

Where'd he go? Why didn't he tell me goodbye first? Why would he just up and leave?

Then I read the comments.

"He passed away in a car accident last night."

What? No he didn't. I just saw him. That's not funny.

I screamed and I cried. I'm not sure how much time passed before I stopped crying or before I could even speak. My eyes were raw and my heart was completely broken. It still didn't feel real as I sat at your funeral. My head was so full of thoughts, regrets; there was this immense pain and heaviness in my chest that I'd never experienced. I was confused. I was so angry.

Why you? Why me? Why MY friend? Why?

I'm sorry for all of the plans I cancelled, all the times I was too busy to spend time with you. I'm so sorry that I took our time together for granted. I should've spent more time with you. I should've gotten more pictures with you. My head is constantly flooded with statements beginning with "I should've".

Little reminders and memories of you come every day.

I'll never meet someone exactly like you.

You cared about others more than yourself.

You never gave up. You never stopped trying. You never stopped fighting.

You smiled no matter what was going on in your life.

You found a way to laugh at everything.

You saw the good in each person and situation.

You were always there, for anyone, for everyone.

You cared, you truly cared.

I think about you on the good days and on the bad days, and every day in between.

It will never be okay.

I'll never understand why your life had to end when it had only just begun,

but I'll always be grateful that you were my friend.

Thank you for being a part of my life, I just wish there could've been more time.

Thank you for every hug, every smile, every laugh, every talk - thank you for every moment we had together.

I wish you hadn't had to leave this world so soon.

I miss you and always will.

We all miss you.

You will never be forgotten. ❤️

In memory of Damion James Smith

November 17, 1992 - October 6, 2013