"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

This hardest part was accepting that you were gone. I was in denial for a few months, how can you just disappear like that? Accepting your death was the painfulest thing I’ve ever had to go through. When you hurt yourself you kind of just forget what it felt like to be okay. But this wasn’t anything like that, this was like getting hurt but feeling numb instead of pain. You were so young. I miss you so much it hurts. Who knew I’d make it after everything? But here I am and I will continue fighting for you and I will make you proud.

every letter i read inspired me. Thank you for sharing your story. Stay you. LLAP

I have only one wish. Please leave me and give me my youth back. Everytime I thought I’ve beaten you, but came back every single time. I know that you’ll never hear me and that i’ve less than 3 month to live, but I belive in miracles. Ava, you’re book made me laugh, made me cry. Some pages I had to read 3 times to understand what you meant. Thank you for giving me hope

i’ll never forget the night i lost my best friend,my soulmate, my pal, my buddy, my twin, my sister. You were, no, you are the most incredible person i know. Mom is gone. She’s like Laurel’s Mom, she couldn’t handle your death. I don’t wanna say she’s weak, but she is. Kind of. It’s like she cut us out of her life. I have no idea how long i’ll gonna make it. I love you and nothing can ever change that.

And honey, i’ll be with you ’till the end of the line.

Your book is and always will be one of my favorite. It breaks my heart every time I read it but I can never put it down. I wanted to tell you a song that reminds me a lot of this book. It’s called Believe by Mumford & Sons. If you haven’t heard it than please go listen to it because it really goes well with this book. I love your writing and I want to thank you for writing a book like this and letting the world have the opportunity to experience. You ARE my favorite author.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, bebé! Tú me enseñaste que el dolor puede ser algo positivo y constructivo, pues a partir de tu desolación creaste canciones hermosísimas. Gracias a ti sé que la tristeza puede ser hermosa y artística, por cínico que suene. Me has alentado a utilizar la mía como una inspiración para escribir historias y así inspirar a otros a ser fuertes y luchar sus guerras… o al menos eso espero. A decir verdad, creo que, de haber sido tu amigo, podría haberte ayudado, ya que tú me has ayudado a mí. Mucha de mi “magia” (por así decirlo) te la debo a ti, a tu artística personalidad, a tu esencia contagiosa y abrumadora y a tu belleza tan sencilla pero relampagueante. Quiero agradecerte por eso, por tu legado y tu música. Nos hará cantar y bailar por un largo tiempo. Te mantengo en mi corazón.

For 2 years I have been listening to your music. When I was in 8th grade my depression started getting bad but I hid it from everyone and you were the only person I felt like I could connect with. Even though I’m still depressed, you have really helped. I started to eat again after starving myself for a year and I actually started to talk to people including my family. I really want to thank you because without you being there I would have ended up like May.

Ich habe dich nie kennen gelernt ! du bist früh gestorben, zu früh. Ich hätte dich gerne kennen gelernt! eines wollte ich dir sagen: ich schreibe gerne daher bin ich auf diese Idee gekommen diesen Brief zu verfassen. ich habe von dir gehört das du an Krebs gestorben bist. Ich stelle mir es immer vor wie es sich wohl an fühlt wenn man weis man hat nur noch kurze Zeit zu leben. Ich habe mir schon als kleines Kind gewünscht einfach nur hinaus in die grosse, aber doch irgendwie kleine, Welt zu gehen. Das habe ich wohl von dir und meiner Mutter geerbt. Ich hätte warscheinlich das gemacht, einfach in das nächste Flugzeug steigen und weg von hier fliegen! Es ist zwar sehr unwarscheinlich aber ich wünschte du würdest diesen Brief einmal Lesen.

Ich habe dich nie kennen gelernt ! du bist früh gestorben, zu früh. Ich hätte dich gerne kennen gelernt! eines wollte ich dir sagen: ich schreibe gerne daher bin ich auf diese Idee gekommen diesen Brief zu verfassen. ich habe von dir gehört das du an Krebs gestorben bist. Ich stelle mir es immer vor wie es sich wohl an fühlt wenn man weis man hat nur noch kurze Zeit zu leben. Ich habe mir schon als kleines Kind gewünscht einfach nur hinaus in die grosse, aber doch irgendwie kleine, Welt zu gehen. Das habe ich wohl von dir und meiner Mutter geerbt. Ich hätte warscheinlich das gemacht, einfach in das nächste Flugzeug steigen und weg von hier fliegen! Es ist zwar sehr unwarscheinlich aber ich wünschte du würdest diesen Brief einmal Lesen.

Parece que foi ontem que você faleceu, mas mês passado já completou um ano de sua morte, parece que falta um pedaço de mim, lembro quando eu te abraçava e te pegava no colo, você tinha apenas 10 meses de idade. Aquele 12 de Julho, foi o mais horrível da minha vida ! No caminho de volta para casa todo mundo em silêncio, naquela manhã a pneumonia te levou embora, do hospital para o céu ! Espero que esteja com Deus ! Vou sentir saudades de te jogar pra cima e o deixar assustado por um segundo, também de te dar banana amassada ! Beijos e abraços, lembre de mim ! <3 :3