My Leah-girl.. I cannot explain how devastated we all are. I think of this time last year and remember our trips to Gatlinburg and our busy times of getting ready to graduate. Life is so different now that you are gone. I walk around campus and look at all of God's beauty and see all of the trees in full bloom, but I would trade all of that just to be with you again. I am comforted in knowing I will see you on some beautiful day, standing by our Father! I have made many amazing friends here at school, but I still become overwhelmingly lonely... I never stay in Knoxville on the weekends, but I go home so that I can feel closer to older times. It makes me so sad when I walk to class and think that we never made any memories here at UT, and so I feel so disconnected. But then when I go home, I still feel lost. No, nothing is the same without your smile. At least the weather has been warm and beautiful, and the sunshine has reminded me of the glow on your face that always lit up when you smiled. You loved this time of year!! You were such a precious and special friend, and I will never stop telling your story to everyone I meet. All of my friends at school know about you and the special place you have in my life. Every little thing I do I am reminded of you, whether it be some habit of yours or a conversation we had. Every morning when I put on my mascara I think of your angel lashes and how you always had mascara for me to borrow when I forgot mine. When I think of our conversations, your voice rings like a bell in my mind. It seems as if you are so close... Last night I had a dream that you were my roommate here at school and that we had invited all of the girls over for a sleepover. When I woke up I reached for my phone and started to call you... but then I remembered. That happens to me often. Oh Leah, I miss you so much... so so much... This weekend there will be a Memorial in honor of you, and over 100 people on Facebook have RSVP'd! You are so loved by everyone =) Thank you for being such a wonderful friend and for impacting all of our lives... I love you. You are beautiful.

Hey Leah.. Last night I had a dream that me & the girls were at a concert thing, and Mariah Carey had just sang. She got off the stage and came up to us in the crowd. She told us that she had heard about you, and she had tried calling us.~~~You really are a Superstar!! :) ~~~ Love & Miss You tons

I can't believe it's been four months since you went to meet our Precious Father. It's 11:07 PM right now, and I think about what I was doing this time four months ago. It was the hardest, most devastating day of my life, and I'm not sure I could have lived through it were it not for God's strength and loving arms. I look at your momma and am in awe at how much strength she has... she has her good and bad days, but were it not for God I'm not sure the good days would ever have existed after you were taken away from us. I've noticed how sensitive I have become to things that relate to you, Nov. 17th, and death in general. Anytime I hear the name Leah I either have to close my eyes and fight back the tears or I can't stop from smiling. I can't wait to have a beautiful daughter and name her "Leah-girl," and watch her grow up to be so brave, loving, happy, and free-spirited. Maybe she'll even have your beautiful blonde hair and green eyes... of course she'll have the long angel lashes! I've also noticed that anytime I see mini-strawberry bagels I feel sick to my stomach, because that same day Toby had bought me some for the dorm. And my friends sometimes will say, "It's the hardest thing!" or "That kills me!" or "I'm going to die if...!" I always remind them that no, it's not the hardest thing... they have no idea of what the hardest thing is. But I do. And all of us who love you do. And it's terrible... It's so so terrible. This winter has been so dreary and gray. I wish it would warm up and the sunshine would come out and remind me of you! And then we can take that trip to Bryson City together and play in the creek like we said we were always going to run away and do.... And we almost did one day! But Lacey wouldn't go with us... haha. I can't wait for the end of May, because then I'll be out West fulfilling the trip we always said we would take. And I'll be making memories with you. I love you Leah-girl. It's been the worst four months I've ever had to endure, but I would never ask for you back. I know Heaven is so much better with our Sweet Father than here! I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you.... Forever & Always. PS- The picture I've put up is of us in your bedroom singing one of our many silly songs. Our mommas use to record us singing all the time!! I miss our sleepovers so so much... I miss our silly songs...

Leah-Angel! I miss your smile..i miss your laugh..i miss everything about you! You were a special person who touched so many lives including mine.  You make me wanna be carefree which is a trait i didn't used to have.  My mom was going through old pictures the other day and found one of us from 1st grade.  We were standing right beside eachother :) Your mom tells me that we look alike...that makes me happy because you are BEAUTIFUL and i'm sure you are even more stunning as an angel! I think about the times we had together.  Me you and Chels J used to go to the movies all the time. I was looking at the year book from last year the other day and you had wrote the story about Chelsea pulling into the village..HAHA I'm glad i could share the embarrassment with you :) I will always remember the Panama city trip.  When you were the only brave one to swim with the dolphins and we all watched you from the boat!  We all remember what happened with your bathing suit and that makes me laugh everytime i think about it! You were so close to God, Leah. I can't imagine how it is to finally be there with him! I love and miss you so much! And for all of you all out there hurting from the loss of such an amazing person..."You're in the arms of an angel...may you find some comfort here"

Leah, I'm sittin' here lookin at what you wrote in my senior yearbook.. and @ the end you wrote, " I can't believe it's over... But a whole new part of our life is beginning, So be HAPPY! LOVE YOU! <3 Leah Avril" ...This should have never of happened to you, you should be here with us starting our new beginning in life after highschool!! I miss you & love you. We all do.. So much!!!!! I got my hair done 2day.. I'll never forget you going with me to sit for 3 hours w/me the 1st time I got it highlighted from my black hair... right be4 we started college. I tried to talk you out of it cuz I didnt you 2 be bored and you were like, no, I want to! (that just shows what kind of friend you were....how many people would do that!) & Of course we ended up having the best time, talking & laughing the whole time over the most random stuff. I was freaking out to get blonde in it cuz it'd been dark for 4ever..& you said the whole time oh it's going 2 look amazing! (even if it didn't I'm sure you still would've said that b/c thats just you~ you always made anyone feel better about anything!) Then we'd see each other almost everyday @ walters state and about everytime you would say, did you get your hair re-done, it looks amazing! And we would both crack up after cuz I never had got it redone and you would say that all the time..Lol (you were Always so caring!!) & can't forget our *girls nights* we had the summer before we all went off to college..& me and you always ended up in the other room laughing and talking all night and getting yelled at by the rest of them..lol..and then we'd laugh at that too. & I love the memories from the Panama City church trip we went on..We were all so on fire for God and the remembrance of how filled w/joy & no worries about anything that week while we were away from "the real world" is how I picture you in Heaven. We were so happy. & can't forget us spice girls! We love to talk about you because theres just so many memories that bring a smile about you! You touched so many lives!!!!! You were an angel on earth and now you're our an angel in Heaven. Thanks for being so sweet to me & the friendship we had. Thanks for all the smiles and laughs and just every fun time we had. I can't wait to have them again!! Me and Tay have been (and love) reading Revelation in the bible where it describes Heaven and walking up to Jesus' throne.. because we want to know exactly what you saw on your journey up there and where you are in your new life and just more & more about Heaven because YOU're there! You're such an inspiration to us. We love you and can't wait to reunite with you in *Forever* *Glory Land*. We will laugh☆hug☆dance☆sing☆Smile so much!!!! ♥ you

Leah, Im so lost without you. I really wish you were here im going through such a hard time. Ive never dealt with pain this strong. I feel all alone in this big world. You are the only one that knew everything about me and understood me. I never thought I would take on this world without you. Thank you for living and learning about life with me, it wouldnt have been the same without you. I wish I could be with you in heaven i know its so much better than here. Im just so confused and sometimes i dont even know who i am anymore. I love you more than anything. We always said we wouldnt know what we would do if we lost each other. Well i know now and its the worst thing thats ever happened. Keep watching over me! I love you soo much and always will!

There is never a day that goes by that I don't think about you. Little things make me think of you. Especially songs on the radio.. there always seems to be one on every time I'm in the car that reminds me of you. The other day, I was riding on some back road and the radio was full of static.. then it completely went away when the song "Temporary Home" came on. I heard every word perfectly, and you immediately came to mind. I pray every night I get a sweet dream of you, and I've had a few that I can remember. It still breaks my heart when I come to your memorial page or your facebook page.. you were the sweetest girl I've ever known. I don't know why this happened to you.. I still wonder every day. If I could rewind, I would change so much. I would've made sure we never drifted apart the past few years. When I think of memories growing up, they always include you. Middle school years were some of the best, and I'm blessed to have shared them with you. I'm glad God put you in my life, because you are truly a hero to me, my guardian angel. I pray that you are watching over me every step of the way through life, and I can't wait to see you on that sweet day. I love you Leah, so much.