She died today on Memorial day, of all days.

My husband has known her for 39 years, so you could say she was a sister.

Usually in tragedies such as this, I'd turn to her as someone I can message online to work my feelings out. I can't really do that right now. She had her problems, but it gave her enough wisdom to be realistic about everything and had a sharp mind that helped me reflect on some things.

I knew her longer than her brother, my husbands best friend that passed away in 2009. Her mother has outlived both of them and I hope her mother finds some peace of mind somehow.

I'm not particularly good at tributes, so I looked back at what I wrote about her. When my college class required us to interview someone, I interviewed her. She really liked how I portrayed her, as it was a short biography of her life. But I decided posting any of that here would be too personal. Although she was never ashamed to tell her full story as a survivor of so many things, it reflects her as a person still alive with hopes of a better future with her new husband for years to come. Something that is not possible anymore.