Hi Rena! This is a new account for anonymity but I just felt like coming and leaving a message. I’m not going to pretend I knew you personally haha, we never even spoke, but your passing left a huge impact on my developing brain. It kind of messed me up to be honest, which is not in any way your fault to be clear. I think about you a lot for someone who wasn’t even your friend.
I’m 20 now. I work in a secondary school. Even the oldest kids there seem so young, you were truly so little. My baby cousin is nearly your age. What the hell.
I’m crying again haha. As I often do. Since you, suicide has been such a huge part of my brain. As a teenager I talked multiple friends down FAR more times than I can count, all the while thinking of you. Am I naive and self important to wonder if I could have talked you down too? Not at my age now, but then. Now, if anyone I care about who I know has even a mild mental illness is having a bad time - even if they’ve never expressed thoughts of suicide - I feel like I can’t breathe. I feel like I can’t help anyone anymore because I just hyperventilate. I’ve told therapists I only got this year about you. That’s how much of an impact you made, I’m sure I’ll think about you for my whole life. You were so important.
I’m sorry you were in so much pain, lovely. I’m sorry that you’re not older than my kids who’ve just finished their final exams this week like you should be.
Love,
Someone who’s somehow now an adult and who’s brain you are engraved in