When the World Lost a Bright Light

Tuscaloosa, AL – R.I.P my guhhh… it doesn’t even feel right saying that. It doesn’t feel real. We had that bond, you and me. The kind of bond where no matter how many times we laughed, fought, or shared those Famous Amos cookies, nothing could tear us apart. You were more than a friend, you were family. And now, the world feels a little darker without your energy, your laughter, and that wild personality that could brighten any room. The memories we shared, they feel like they’re from another lifetime, like we were just kids joking around like nothing could touch us. I can still hear your voice, still feel the moments we had. But it’s different now. You’re gone. And I don’t know how to move forward without you.

The Last Message, The Last Moment

You just hit me up on Snap… asking why I wasn’t at work yesterday. It was such a normal, everyday thing, right? But now it’s the last message I’ll ever get from you. I keep staring at that text like if I keep reading it, maybe it’ll make sense, maybe it’ll bring you back. I was supposed to see you today. On T6, just like every other day, you were gonna pop up with that attitude, asking me what the hell I was looking at, always with that smirk that made everything better. It’s funny, Shay. I didn’t think that would be the last time I’d hear from you. You were supposed to be here, clowning around with me, asking stupid questions, making everybody laugh — you were supposed to be here, making everything okay. But now it’s just silence. And that silence is louder than anything I’ve ever heard.

The Pain of Saying Goodbye

Shay, I’m not ready for this goodbye. None of us were ready. We were supposed to grow old and keep sharing cookies and laughs and fights that didn’t matter in the end. You were one of those people who just… belonged in my life. The kind of person who could say the wrong thing and make it right just by being you. The kind of person who could make any bad day feel lighter, no matter how heavy things were. You were the spark that kept all of us going, even when we didn’t want to. And now, without you, I feel lost. It’s like the world is asking me to keep going without you, but how do I do that? How do I go on when part of me feels like it’s been ripped away?

I know I’m not the only one feeling this. We all are. But I also know that you’d want us to keep pushing. You’d want us to carry on with those memories, those jokes, and keep your spirit alive by living fully — even when it’s hard. I hope you’re at peace now, and that somewhere, there’s a stash of Famous Amos cookies waiting just for you. You deserve that.