Let me first start off by saying thank you. The words thank you don't even begin to express the appreciation and love I hold for you. A complete stranger can change your world in a matter of moments. From the day I sat across from you I always wanted to know why is she here? Why does she not love herself? I constantly thought, "I would die to be her," sitting across from you for the first week.

I sit across from you not knowing that a year later I would be here writing this and you would be my best friend. The laughter and light that radiates from you helped heal the pain before the words you eventually spoke did. If it wasn't for you there would never be a girl sitting here writing this. The first time we spoke was sitting across from each other and telling each other how beautiful we think the other is. We laughed after the fact, but before we both were so nervous to ever say a word.

"We're going to get through this... together." That was the start. I knew life was worth it all. You made me believe I wasn't alone. Every day we told each other we were beautiful. Every bad night we had, the other already seemed to know. We made not just a friendship but a connection. Any late night tears we shared seemed to end when we saw each other the next day. Knowing the time was coming when we had to leave, it became hard to say goodbye.

We never did say goodbye; we said see you later. The day you left was the day my recovery started — I no longer pushed things behind a smile. You never let me go a day without telling me I can do this and that you believe in me. You made me feel comfortable being me. I started accepting my disease as a part of me but not all of me. You made me feel like my weight was never the problem, and that my thought on myself was.

You made me believe in myself. Every time I tried to quit, you never let me. You told me that "you're worth it, think strong." You push me everyday to keep going. While there are times I'm drowning in my tears, your words push me to keep going though when I want to give up.

The day i seen you at my graduation party was one of the best days. You gave me a gift that could never be replaced. A simply beautiful bracelet that reads "choose joy." The bracelet was beautiful, but the words you spoke when I opened it were simply unforgettable. "Choose joy because you deserve it. I have the same bracelet, so even when we're states away, we're always together." You will forever be the girl who helped save me. I could never repay you for what you've done. Just know I adore you. It's all because of you — I believe I'm worth it all.