"With every friend I love who has been taken into the brown bosom of the earth a part of me has been buried there; but their contribution to my being of happiness, strength and understanding remains to sustain me in an altered world."
- Helen Keller

He was my best friend, my inspiration, and now my angel.

+

In these last couple years, I’ve met some people that were in and out of my life like seasons in a year, but I also met some people who have stuck around through the thick and thin times. Those people, I call my best friends. I only had a few best friends in my life who were very special to me; there were only a few who helped through those tough times and stayed true. A best friend I am speaking of in this web page is my dear friend, Brandon Walton. I met Brandon my freshman year in High School when I was dating his best friend, and ever since then our friendship grew. My early High School years were pretty harsh and being that I was a young teenage girl, I had my share of dilemmas and etc.. Through everything he was there: deaths, break ups, family drama, and just any obstacle I had going on. He knew how to put a smile on my face; in fact, he made me laugh until my face turned so red and couldn’t breathe. He was a relaxed person and someone who never let negative things get the best of him. Brandon, ever since he was young, has always been independent and on his own. No matter how hard it got for him he never let it affect his academics and never piled his problems on everyone else. I called him my best friend because no matter what I said or what I did, he supported me and didn’t judge me. Now and days, it is really hard to find someone genuine like that. I lost touch with him for a couple of months in 2008 and little did I know that the next time he would call me...was the last.

“I noticed how beautiful the sky was the other day and then I realized...it’s because you’re up there.” -Unknown

August 20, 2009, Brandon Michael Walton took his life. Words can’t even explain how heartbreaking that day was. I’ve been to quite a few funerals, but none of them was this hard. Apart of me died that night. Why did he do it? It’s a secret that went to the grave with him. He was just 18, a senior at Ridgeway High School. He was a young man whom had many dreams and never settled for less than he deserved. Why did I chose to make him the topic of my webpage? Well, not only was he my best friend, he also taught so much about life; he was my inspiration. He gave me the faith to believe when I felt like there was no hope left. In his eyes, anything was possible and he helped me see a lot of things in me I didn’t even know existed. Brandon is one of the reasons I am here today. For a month or so, I was miserable. I didn’t know what to do anymore and it felt like everything in my life was falling apart. Memories of our phone calls and memories of us hanging out flooded my brain and so did the encouraging advice he gave me. I finally had enough of feeling sorry for myself. I decided to take the opportunity to further my knowledge and make something of myself by enrolling here at Empire College. He was that extra push I needed and I feel blessed to have known him. Even though he is no longer with me physically, I know he’s here with me spiritually. Everything he has done for me has helped me form into the young lady who stands before you today. He left an everlasting impact on my life and has taken a spot in my heart. Rest in peace Brandon and thank you for everything.