The first thing I have to say is thank you. Thank you for everything.

You probably don't know the difference you've made in my life thus far, but my have you impacted it in the greatest way. I've learned so much from allowing you to be my role model and lead me in the right direction over the years that I've known you.

You taught me that age and demographics really don't matter if you work hard to be the best you can be. If you're good enough, people can't ignore you, and that's an important lesson many have yet to learn.

I learned from you that conflict is another platform to help you grow. Sometimes you have to back off, sometimes you have to fight back, and sometimes you just have to truck through and prove yourself. Where some see conflict and criticism as a negative aspect, you made it work for you; you made it into a positive.

You proved that integrity and character is more important than anything on paper. Qualifications and raw talent are important pieces of the puzzle, but the way that you treat people makes a much more lasting impression. People will forget how much money you saved, how many games you won, what you gave your presentation on- but they won't forget the feeling your presence gave them.

You showed me that sometimes you just have to trust your gut. It might be right, it might be wrong, but every once in a while, you just have to grit your teeth and do what feels right. Everything happens for a reason.

You taught me that there is always room for growth. There is no ceiling to reach. You can always improve. You just have to want to improve. Make room for growth and make strides towards the next step.

Thanks to you, I learned that confidence is key. I learned that if I carry myself with confidence and trust in myself and my abilities, I can conquer anything life throws at me, and get to the point where I want to be.

Most of all, you showed me that the best things in life are unexpected. Sometimes you meet people who can absolutely change your mind about everything, and influence your entire life. You gave the motivation, the example, and the footsteps I hope to follow in one day. For that, I sincerely want to say thank you.