To the heroes we've lost,

In the last two years, I have lost my biggest idols and inspirations. I lost a princess, too many musical icons to count, a professor, a fighter, an astronaut, and many others. My heart hurts as I write this, but writing is honestly helping me find some closure in this messed-up world we live in.

We've cried. We've remembered. We've laughed as we tell stories about our idols. We've cried again. It sucks, to be completely honest. It sucks to stand idly by and watch these beautiful souls be taken away by mental illness, drug addiction, cancer, or anything else that gets in the way of life. We resolve to be more prepared next time, but it doesn't work that way. Death, whether it's someone you know or someone you've watched for years, will always surprise you.

I know that I've never met these people and they didn't know I existed, but their existence was enough for me. They inspired me to dream big and pursue whatever passion I had no matter the obstacles in the way. They showed that you really can do anything you set your mind to. Everyone says that you should never meet your heroes, but I wish I could have had at least one cup of coffee with them to tell them how much I appreciated them before they were gone.

While we can't bring back those we've lost, we can use their stories to help the ones who are constantly struggling. We can bring more awareness to mental health and create better facilities. We can help those with drug or alcohol addictions, rather than blame the victim. We can work harder for more cancer screenings and better treatment options (We could just cure it, too. Cancer is a bitch).

Thank you for the laughs and the tears. Thank you for the stories and the memories. Thank you for being yourself. Thank you for inspiring us.

Thank you.