It’s hard to believe it was only four years ago when I met the best person to ever enter my life. It literally feels like I’ve know you my entire life but nope; our “sibling” bond was brought on by only four short years of friendship. Although you do more for other people than you do for yourself, I believe you don’t get the love and appreciation you truly deserve, so here you go.

I bring this up all the time, but I don’t care. My favorite memory will always be the first night we truly connected. Lying in the middle of the field at camp, staring up at the stars, bundled up in a sleeping bag, and pouring my heart out to, basically, a stranger. We bonded over our pain and past experiences; explaining to each other, as well as ourselves, why we are who we are. I realized a lot about myself that night. That is probably why from then on, you became like family to me.

You are someone who would drop everything you’re doing, no matter how important, just to call when you get a ‘I need help’ text; you’re there even when I don’t want you to be. You know what’s right and what’s wrong without even thinking twice about it. No matter how much it annoys me when you instantly have the answers to everything I’ve been thinking about for days, I couldn’t appreciate it more when you help guide me through life. I even love when you are brutally honest with me because I won’t listen to your "sugar-coated" advice. Let’s face it, “adulting” is hard, but it’s easy to “get jacked.” People probably think we’re crazy...

I treasure every last one of our memories together. From all the memories at camp, to prom, to my first relationship, to you leaving for LA, to you staying in the Burgh, to you "randomly" leaving for boot camp, to all our late-night calls because of the time difference, to you coming home for a single weekend and many, many more. When I think back to all the important times in my life, you are in them. Even if it’s just texting you about it after because you already left for the air force. Even when I didn’t talk to you for a whole year because I was caught up in a false “love,” you were there when I came to you for help with the heartbreak. No one else I know would ever do that; forget about how bad of a friend I was because you didn’t want to see me in pain.

You cherish your family and friends more than anyone else I know; so much so that you left us all at home, to go fight for our safety. You sacrificed every relationship you have in Plattsburgh for the good of your country. You are the most genuine and real person I know. You do so much for others and don’t expect anything in return.

I just want you to know, the people in your life may not realize how much you sacrificed by leaving to go to Washington, but I do. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Jack. I would seriously fly to Washington before I let you feel like no one loves you; because trust me, you are loved way more than you know.

Just ask my mom, you have become a part of my family whether you like it or not.