This is my friend Cameron Culp. I met Cameron in August of 2010 at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy (UofD) freshman orientation. Now, Cameron and I were never the closest of friends, but we were friendly and liked to joke around. We had some classes together throughout the years, so we saw a lot of each other. Cameron was the kind of guy that always had a joke and a smile that could make your day. He played lacrosse and football and played like a champ even though he wasn’t the biggest guy on the field. Like it always does, high-school flew by and as soon as I walked in freshman orientation, I was walking across the stage at graduation. We had an all-night senior party and were out for the summer. Each one of us going to college or the military, hoping to see each other at reunions down the road. This would not be the case for everyone.
In an attempt to escape the harsh streets of Detroit, where he grew up, and to catch some sun in a warmer climate, Cam went to college in South Carolina. He was shot and killed on May 2nd. I didn't find this out until a couple days later. I was at work at college when my phone vibrated, so I pulled it out of my pocket to see that I had another Facebook notification. Getting about twenty of these a day, I didn't think much of it. So I put my phone away and pulled it back out after work. When I opened Facebook, I saw that one of my fellow UofD alumni posted, "I'm going to miss you, Cam. Rest in peace buddy." I was shocked and confused. I contacted a lot of my old high school buddies trying to gather as much information as I possibly could, until I stumbled over the fact that my friend had been killed.
Cam will never get to walk across the stage at graduation; never get to go to the beach and feel a gentle breeze on his face or come to a high school reunion and talk about old times as if they were yesterday. He will never get to start a family of his own. Everything was taken away from him. As much as I miss my friend and want to have him back, I can't.
This is why I have to live my life to the fullest potential because at any given moment anyone can die--myself included. I know this sounds morbid but I'm just trying to get the point across. I need to live my life not only for me but for those around me: my family, friends, loved ones, and Cam.
