I have to warn you that this isn’t one of my favorite topics. It’s not a happy-go-lucky one filled with flowers and cupcakes either. But it is one about a best friend of mine who I will never forget.
Sheriene was by far one of the coolest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Although she came across as too-cool-for-school, she was brilliant. She was also funny and easily could light up a room with not only her smile but also her sense of humor.
We were very young when our friendship started, and I’m not even sure of the exact year that I was blessed with her presence, but I can tell you that my memories of her are still so vivid. She was so easy to get along with and well-liked by everyone. She loved playing the guitar (and was amazing at it)…and had a huge obsession with Kurt Cobain from Nirvana.
Sheriene and I shared our fair share of adventures—all of which I can only laugh at because of how crazy they were. We went to the same school all the way through our sophomore year of high-school. By our junior year, our families had moved to different cities and we became geographically separated (by a lot). She moved to upstate NY, and I had moved to south FL.
We kept communicating through phone calls and letters, and we always managed to spend hours at a time catching up. However, with busy schedules and 1,500 miles between us, our friendship drifted apart a bit. Shortly after, we each went away to college. During our freshman year, our communications became few and far between.
Then, there was that one morning that changed my life forever.
You can’t forget a morning like this.
I was off to class and had some extra time to kill so I logged on to my Facebook (I wasn’t a huge fan of FB at the time and normally didn’t check it in the morning).
On this day, an ex-friend of mine had messaged me that Sheriene had passed away.
Not wanting to believe it, I went off to class with the awful news. I tried to focus, but it was impossible.
My thoughts just kept racing.
It took me a couple of days to find out what really happened, and the reality was pretty tough to face. While our friendship drifted, her depression got worse.
I had no idea how bad things were, and it was devastating to hear that she was struggling with so much pain.
The only person that I could get a hold of was her ex-boyfriend, who was also one of her closest friends. He asked me several times if I really wanted to know what happened—which I thought I did. At the time, I was still hopeful that there was an accident that was out of her control. I was blindsided with that fact that Sheriene had taken her own life.
The day I found out that she had passed was the same day that she was buried. I was still 1,500 miles away and could not make it to her funeral in time.
This was the hardest experience of my life, and I believe that it is one that will always be with me.
I have dedicated my blog to her because she has taught me so much.
She was the true definition of a best friend and a beautiful soul that will always be remembered.
I know she is in a much better place, free from pain, but it will always hurt to know that she isn’t physically around. I have felt her presence on several occasions and will always have a special place in my heart for her.
I hope—with her help—I can motivate you to never give up and show you how to get through your toughest times.
Suicide is very serious and should never be taken lightly. If you, or someone you know, is struggling with depression please reach out to someone before it is too late. Suicide may seem like an easy escape, but it is the most painful feeling for those around you, who love you. Despite what you may be feeling, you are worth more than you think.
To Sheriene: “I love you always, forever, and then some.”
