How I Lost My Sister

The summer of 2017, during the month of July was very tragic for me and my family. This event was probably the saddest thing that has happened to me in a very long time. July 15, 2017 I was headed to Dallas, Texas for a basketball tournament when I got the call that my adopted sister had been hurt really bad in a car wreck at the age of nine. My little sister was on a little league softball team at the time, and she was with my mother and my uncle, and they were on their way to their state game in Round Rock, Texas when the left side of the car was smashed in by an 18 wheeler. My little sister was sitting in the backseat and was hit first. There was too much damage to her brain due to how fast the truck was coming. The wreck was so tragic that the car and the truck sat there for 45 minutes before a car driving by saw the wreck and called the police. My mother and my uncle had horrible damages done, but with a few surgeries they both recovered fine. Although my sister had experienced lots of damage to the brain; we put everything in God’s hands and prayer through all six procedures she was put through. The prayers never stopped, and my family gained lots of support from our community and our loved ones. 

Eight days later on July 28, 2017 at 9:35 A.M. my sisters ws declared brain dead. This was the most horrific day of my life, and when the doctors told us the news it took me forever to realize that she was really gone. She wasn’t only my sister; she was a friend, someone that brought joy to me life every single day. I pray everyday that my sister will continue to watch over me and I can’t wait until we meet again. This event is something that my family will never forget. There are still days when my mother wakes up and I will have to just give her a hug or even say “I love you” because I know that she is hurting and I have to realize that we are all trying to get through this and we all need to learn how to figure this out together. Everyone always ask how was my sister’s death such a big deal because she’s adopted. A sister is a sister and I loved my sister like she was blood related. We adapted her when she was six months, so therefore she is truly one of us. Everyday I have to wake up and think “mind over matter”, no matter what I am going through that day, or no matter how down I’m feeling about my sister that day. I wake up and pray about the situation knowing that I still have to get through the day like any other day and put everything that’s going on in my mind to rest so that I can have a better day. When tragic events happen it’s always going to be hard, and I feel that it’ll never get easier. But it’s something called being mentally tough, and it’s a learning process but everyone should learn it. Being mentally tough is a big part of life that will help you get through many tough challenges. Before my sister passed I kind of took life as a joke, but after her death I completely turned my life over to God and I stopped making excuses, I lived everyday like it’s my last. I play basketball and every game, every practice, and every workout I work hard, so that I can make my sister proud, and also you never know when the lord is ready for you so no matter what challenges or tragic events you face in life you should always remember to be mentally tough and always think mind over matter. Because you never know when your last day on earth is. And you never want to make excuses about anything.

As you can see this tragic event changed me, I’ve became such a better person and a better athlete. There’s not a day that doesn’t go by where I don’t think about my sister she will forever hold a special place in my heart and I will never stop telling this story because my sister lasted over a week after this event and she was only expected to last five hours. Even the small blessings matter and I will never stop thanking the lord for giving me the opportunity to spend extra days on earth with a loved one.