This week has been a like a punch to the heart. Yes, I know it’s only Wednesday. I’m a little afraid of what today will bring.

It hasn’t been a bad week. It’s just really hit me right in the heart. I may have actually gotten emotional and shed a tear or two. Which I don’t do often because I’m just not a cryer.

Wondering what I’m talking about? Well, it all has to do with my friend Katy. You can read her story here. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

Caught up now? Excellent.

So here’s what happened Monday. If you followed that link above and went to the very end you found a link to another article. An article by actor and writer, Andrew McCarthy.  He was with Katy the day she died. He was one of her instructors at the leadership camp she’d gone to. My bestie Kaci, who also loved Katy very much, has been reaching out to him for the past three years, trying to get more info on the spot where Katy died. Monday he answered her finally. And offered to take us back to that spot so we could finally, properly, say goodbye.

On Tuesday, another friend who also loved Katy, the wonderful Amy, sent Kaci and I message on the Facebook. After a year of work on her part, there was officially a Katy Brain memorial scholarship at our high school. For journalism students.

You see, journalism was our thing. High school was hell for Amy, Kaci, and I. Katy too. Journalism was our lifeline. Our safe harbor. I have few happy memories from high school but the few I have are directly tied to journalism classes and work on the yearbook. I wouldn’t have met Kaci if it hadn’t been for our Journalism 1 class freshman year. Amy and I would never have become friends. Sure, we nearly killed each other as co-editors senior year but I still love her to bits. And none of us would have met Katy. She was two years younger than us. Our paths would have never crossed if she hadn’t joined the yearbook staff.

So today, I’m waiting to see what comes next. I’m scanning in photos of Katy to send to Amy to go with the scholarship. I’m trying to plan a way to get my arthritis riddled body into shape so I can hike to that mysterious spot in Wyoming next summer. And I’m thanking God for the friends I have and for the short, spunky brunette who is watching over all of us from Heaven.

Katy and I in the summer of 1995.

~Elise

PS. I found a letter from her when I was looking for photos last night. Seeing her signature may have finally shattered my emotional control and made me cry.

Worst handwriting ever but gosh I miss it.