During the summer of 2006, my life took a turn for the worse. It was my junior year in high school, and my cousin started to betray me. It wasn’t your normal family situation; it was almost like she wanted me to hurt for her screwed up childhood. She would have her friends and random girls fight me every day; making them believe that I was just some random chick she hated. I even had a group of girls follow me home sometimes. It was to the point that even the friends we shared together believed her lies. I started losing friends and eventually I didn’t want to hang out with anyone. I was being bullied, jumped, and tormented my entire junior year of high school, but then I met someone who changed my life.

Starla Dawnya Mitchell, also known as 'Princess Starla,' was one to remember. She was nine-years-old the day that I met her, but she had an old soul. Starla reminded me of a young version of my grandmother. She would tell me every day that she wanted to change the world. I always enjoyed the time we spent, even when it was boring.

Though I was 16-years-old at the time, our sleepovers were fun. I saw her as a little sister I never got the chance to have. We related to each other so much, because when we met, we were both trying to fill a void. My father left me and my mother when I was seven-years-old, and I am still looking for that father. Starla’s father was always in and out of her life like bad company too. We would share stories with one another about how everything made us feel. She was the strongest person I knew, and I loved her for everything she was. She was my hero. Starla was an angel that was brought to me for a reason.

Shortly after school started, and as winter was approaching, Starla started to show signs of sickness. She was treated with different antibiotics and everyone hoped that she would get better. I knew she was a very strong individual, and so her getting sick wasn’t a problem for me. I believed she just had some type of cold. The day they took her to the hospital, I paced the floor waiting for the results. After running countless tests on her, I saw so many broken faces and unexplained curiosity. I was devastated to know that not only was she sick, but she was extremely ill.

She was diagnosed with cancer in August of 2006, and suddenly I felt lost again. Everyone was devastated as if she was gone already, but I didn't lose faith in her. I wanted to keep her with me for as long as I could.

Starla had to go through chemotherapy to improve, and throughout the entire process, she remained ambitious and kept a smile on her face. I didn’t understand it, and I didn’t want to. One day I asked her, “How do you plan to save the world?” She said, “I will make all the people of the world smile every day.” She wished to be the little girl, who greeted all the angels for God.

Every day for months that followed, I would visit her at the hospital, and we would share stories. On March 27, 2007, we received a call from the hospital saying Starla had passed away. Starla had decided to take that job as the greeter for all angels.

What I learned, is that no matter what is happening in your life someone else out there may have it much worse than you. Though I was going through a battle of my own, Starla was going through a battle for her life. This little girl taught me how to value life.

Rest in peace, Princess.