"More than a stunning debut. It is the announcement of a bold new literary voice"
—Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower

There’s so much I would like to say to you. But first of all: Thank You. Thank you for all you did for us. Thank you for fighting even when you couldn’t fight anymore, thank you for loving us and keeping us in your thoughts even when you weren’t completely there anymore. Thank you for all the love, the kisses, the hugs. Thank you for showing me when I was wrong, for being patient even when I didn’t deserve your patience. For those mornings that were ours only. For that snow ball to replace the one I had broken.

I wish you could come back and replace my feelings, because they’re broken too. I wish I could hug you and kiss you, tell you how much I miss you and love you. You left a hole in me when you left, and I miss you every day. And I’m sorry I’m not always strong, I’m sorry some days I can’t do it anymore, I just can’t get out of bed. I’m sorry I can’t be stronger.

I wish you could have been here to see me grow up. To see me graduate, to set me free. But now all I do every step I take is look back and wish you were there at my back. Watching me go on. There’s no one like you. There may be people I love, but there is only one Mom. Nobody can replace you.

I wish I could have been stronger for you. I wish I would have been bigger so I could have helped you carry the burden. To tell you it was okay, to hold your hand tighter, to have never left your side. I wish I could have said goodbye.

I’ll never understand why you. Why so soon? Why why why? Some days those questions swallow me whole.

I’ll miss you forever. I’ll always wish you were here to see me. I’ll always miss your smile and your laugh and the way you said my name.
Thank you for loving me when I needed it the most.
Your daughter