Hey there!

I know we haven’t talked in a while, but I want you know how much I support you and that I am always here for you no matter what. We grew up in a small privileged town. It has its advantages and its disadvantages when it came to growing up there, but we enjoyed every moment. While we mostly knew everyone who lived in it and it only took twenty minutes to get from one side of town to the other, it got pretty boring sometimes. We always seemed to make the best of it, no matter how bored we were. From shopping at the mall until we were broke or swam in your pool until our bodies shrivelled up; we always had fun together.

Let’s rewind back to the very begging, back before alcohol and drugs came into the picture. It was December of 2002, we were in second grade. I was the new kid who just moved to town from Texas midyear, and didn’t know anyone. You introduced yourself to me and we became friends. We graduated elementary school, middle school, and even high school together. In high school I was there for you during your hard time, and then you were there for me senior year through freshman year of college during my hard time. Senior year was when I first noticed your problem, but I didn’t think much of it. We were both busy with summer jobs and figuring out what the next year was about to bring to us.

College was the first time we departed on separate paths. I choose to adventure three hours away, while you went to school nearby. Although we were three hours away from each other, we still kept in touch every now and then. I wasn’t able to see the pain you were suffering inside until this year. I was adjusting to a new chapter in my and you were back home dealing with the problem I didn’t see coming.

Every time I came home for a break or summer vacation you always knew the one place I wanted to go. You never mind eating there, even if you just ate there the week before because you knew I couldn’t find a Chinese restaurant that was just as good as Mannen around school. Mannen was our go to place where we ordered our favourite meals and caught up about college and life.

Finally it was winter break of my senior year and I was able to come home. We went out to eat and caught up just as usual, but there was something different this time. You looked and seemed different. I could tell there was something wrong and you were suffering. I felt hopeless and wasn’t sure how to approach you about it. Finally I was getting ready to leave to go back to school when I was approached by a mutual friend of ours. She was just as worried about you as I was. Having her approach me about you, gave me the motivation to reach out to your sister. Your sister knew about your problem and told me that you were soon going to rehab to get help. Hearing this made me feel like you were going to get on the right track again. A few weeks later you let me know you were entering rehab down in Florida. I knew this was the best thing for you because you always talked about moving down to Florida and now you were moving down there to get the help you needed.

I know I have been preoccupied with school and life after college, but I hope you know how proud I am of you for admitting your problem. So many young lives were lost in our town due to drug or alcohol related incidents, that I was afraid of losing you. I hope rehab is going well for you. You are so brave and strong for going. I know it must not have been easy, but just know you have such a strong support system back home with your family and friends.

So proud of you!