My mom opened my door with passion while I was getting ready for school, causing it to hit my light blue walls. The confused and concerned look on her face tells me one of two things; I’m either in trouble or something is very wrong.

“There's cops at the door, you want to tell me why?” She tries blaming me.

“I have no idea, I didn’t do anything!” Although I couldn’t help but comb back through my memories of the past few days trying to think what I could have possibly done. Nothing. I suddenly felt a pit in my stomach. She stomps down the hallway, frustrated that she has to open the door with the little clothing she has on, and her makeup free bare face. My mind started rushing through worst case scenario possibilities, hoping I was wrong about all of them. Unfortunately, I wasn’t. My head started pounding like I had banged it against a concrete wall, and at this point getting ready for school seemed like the least of my worries. I couldn't focus on anything, I just stood there in the middle of my bedroom.

My heart shattered into a million pieces, like someone had ripped it out my chest and stomped on it as I heard my mother crying. I heard her scream in agony that pierced my ears. A scream I know I will never forget.

“My baby!” She cried out. “Baby what have you done!”

I immediately knew what it was. I rushed down the stairs, tears streaming down my face, and I stopped when I got to my living room. Standing beside my mom was a priest, clutching her hand, and two cops.

February 6th, 2017, I received the news that my oldest brother, George, passed away from a drug overdose. He was found dead at the scene at his apartment, passed out in his bathtub. He had been a struggling drug addict for a lot of his life, always fighting the urge. Drugs change people. They mess with the chemical makeup of someone's brain, making them unrecognizable. It's not easy growing up watching someone you love, change for the worse. It's these kind of moments where you don’t want to let go, but you know you have no other choice. We all pretend the ones we love are here forever. Ever since this heartbreaking tragedy, I don’t take anything or anyone for granted. Life is short, you never know for sure how long you have with someone. It's important to appreciate and value the smaller moments in life, and the little things that aren't objects we possess but the relationships we have with the people we love.