Throughout my life, I have been on many car drives and by far, the longest drive was the one from my house to my best friend’s funeral. What actually was a 10-minute trip felt like 10 years. As we pulled up to the church, the reality of what was happening hit me. The best friend that I thought would take over the world with me was gone and I was left to do everything we planned together on my own.

Looking back, the day I met Jack was one of the most important days of my life. For some unknown reason, we became extremely close very quickly. We talked every single day, from the day we met to the day he died, usually about superficial topics like music and news. But those simple conversations were the fabric of our friendship. No matter what other things were happening in my life, I knew I could always talk to Jack and he wouldn’t be judgemental or mean; he would just listen.    

Losing a friend, especially at a young age, is like losing a piece of yourself. When you are a teenager and your friends are the most important people in your life, the loss of one of them leaves a giant hole. There is a learning curve to it too; it’s learning to stop texting a disconnected number, and learning to not mention them when an adult asks who your friends are.

Even though it is incredibly hard to deal with, it teaches you a lot about yourself and how much you can really take. You never get over it, but you do cope with it. Things in everyday life inevitably are a reminder, but there is always a way to deal with missing them.