In 2013 the world lost an incredible person, a selfless individual, a person who always had a brightness glowing from the inside out. I never knew this person but my whole world turned upside down when I saw the people around me, people I called my family, at a loss for words when they got the news that would break their hearts and change their lives forever.

When you're younger you're taught the beauty of life and thinking back I took it for granted, I can't remember how many times I woke up and started my day without being grateful for a new day and my next breath. April 22nd, 2013, I saw news that would change my perception on life and be reminded of how precious it truly is. That morning I woke up to pictures, screen shots from text messages, and kind words all coming from hearts that were broken by a tragic event that took place on the same road that I would drive on everyday. I saw that a beautiful, bright, special young lady was taken out of this world in a blink of an eye. I was at a loss for words.

You read about tragedies all the time on the news or social media and it breaks my heart for these families and friends that go through these rough times, but you never imagine something like this happening to you or to people around you.

A few days after the accident I stopped by the memorial site for her. I had bright red roses in my hand as I got out of my car. I stood there at a loss for words just crying my eyes out. As I stood there a family stopped their car right in front of mine on that back road and got out. The daughter put her flowers down right next to where I had placed mine then took a couple steps back to where I was standing. She looked at me and asked if I had known her, I replied, "No ma'am" as tears rushed down my face. She smiled and said one thing that I remember, "She was incredible and she would hug you so tightly right now if she knew you were crying over her." I smiled as her and her family got into their car and drove off

I stood there for another ten or fifteen minutes trying to understand why God would take this amazing person out of this world. She was so young and was getting ready to graduate high school. I just didn't understand why. I was very angry with God and I honestly didn't know what I could even say to Him to get this bitterness off my chest. That night I got on Facebook and I saw the bible verse "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5, I knew at that very moment that God wasn't angry or bitter, He was telling me that His plans are greater than anything I or anyone else could plan for themselves.

Shortly after joining Silence The Assembly in 2013 we wrote a record that would later be called "Reconstruction." On that record I wrote a song called "Never Forgotten" to express the thoughts that were going through my mind. As I walked into the vocal booth to record vocals to that song I felt a pain I had never in my life experience as I screamed the line "Even though you're not here, You'll never be forgotten." Even playing that song live was hard for me because it brought me back to the pain I felt for these families and friends that had their hearts broken by this tragedy.

Whenever I go back home and drive on that old back road to get to my families house I remember how her life changed mine forever on that day, someone I didn't know. She taught me how to live everyday to it's fullest and to smile even when things are rough. I can't wait for the day when I get to introduce myself when I see you face to face, you are so loved.

I didn't know you and you didn't know me but you are forever in my heart.

You'll never be forgotten.