Being someone who has a lot of sickness run through the family, I was used to being in and out of hospitals constantly. I was especially in the hospital a lot due to the fact that my aunt had ovarian cancer. She was diagnosed a little over 10 years ago and was told a few years later that she was cancer-free. I have never seen a person light up that much. She was all smiles, giggles and taking risks now that was finally free of the demon that took over her. That didn’t last for long, though, as her cancer came back.

When her cancer came back, her doctors gave her the news that it had spread through her entire body. Our entire family was devastated. The news tore us apart, especially thinking that she did not have very much time left. For eight years, she was in and out of hospitals. There were endless doctors telling her she wasn’t going to make it to see the next day, and she proved them wrong. Even though I knew she would fight through it, getting that one phone telling me she was in the hospital again made my heart drop every time.

Although, there came a time when reality struck me the hardest. On May 30th, 2015, I received a phone call from my grandfather. I’m thinking, oh she’ll be fine, she gets through it every time. This time, she lost the battle.

Hearing that she did not make it felt like someone physically ripped my heart out of my chest. I was at a loss for words. I remember crying so hard I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I guess I couldn’t believe that she was really gone.

I let my thoughts get the best of me. I knew that at some point, she was going to die, I just couldn’t bring myself to believe it. I guess the thought of her being alive and being in pain was a better thought than having to bury her six feet under. Selfish, I know. You hear news every day of someone dying, just never thought it would happen to me.

As I believed that she would fight through it every time, I forgot the most important thing. I forgot to appreciate her when she was still here. I talked to her on a daily basis, but I seemed to forget to make more memories, relive the past ones, and tell her how much I appreciated her. Thousands of people die each and every day, you never expect it to happen to someone close to you.

So as a message to all the people out there, truly appreciate who you have in your life. The last thing we think about is what would happen if we were to lose someone we loved, and it obviously strikes us hard when it does happen. My aunt’s unexpected death taught me to really appreciate the time I spend with the people I love. Even though it is a small chance that something bad could happen, you never know. So take a minute out of your day, and tell someone you love them. Tell someone you appreciate them. Make a new memory. Cherish your friends and family members. You never know when something could rip them away from you.