Honoring so much more than a sister, one year later.

by Colleen McBride - Co-President of The Luckiest Foundation and Deb's big sister. Deb- thank you for showing us the way through the darkness of this year. Thank you for planting seeds of love, integrity, and intention with all who knew you.

Each day has brought new feelings to confront, but also opportunities to try to understand this existence and what lies beyond. I know it’s not the end of your story.

I find you everyday. You’ve been in my dreams, changing songs on the radio, and whispering words of strength when I felt so small. (You’ve also been random bunnies or cardinals in my yard that I chat with.)

To lose my sister, confidant, dearest friend and inspiration has felt like the air in my lungs was stolen. A piece of me ripped away. When we buried our memory jar for you in our family plot this summer, I put some of my hair in the jar, tied in a ribbon with yours. We’re together under that blue Virginia sky.

You’re our baby sister we fought over holding, the little kid underfoot, and our beautiful, bold, and fun-loving force we grew up with, not always feeling where one ended and the other began. We made sure that those adventures never stopped, but rather grew to include our own kids and spouses. I’m so grateful for all of it.

You were always so gentle with my heart, Deb. You cheered me on when I didn’t always believe in myself. When I see pictures of you it’s that look I miss most- that genuine love and acceptance. You always sparkled!

Your love gave me the grace to move forward; hide Easter eggs for our kids days after your passing, deliver a eulogy I never imagined needing to give, choosing memorial stones for you and Uncle Tony. Heavy things.

We gathered for your birthday- I made Grandma’s strawberry shortcake and our cousins celebrated with us in the June warmth. This summer we vacationed in Maryland with our family as well as the Rochester girls. I missed our morning coffee talks on the water, but I loved seeing Margot bury her head in Willa’s neck as she held her, or the cousins playing in the pool or joined around the campfire. Mom and Dad keep repeating how blessed we are. Chris and I know this, and we all check in with one another, knowing that grief isn’t a straight line.

This fall Bren and I took our baby girls to Paris for their Sweet 16, as we sisters had hoped to do. Our girls are beautiful young ladies who share our strong bond and our love for learning and adventures. They’ll undoubtedly make the world better, as you did. Bren is also ensuring that your legacy will include a foundation, The Luckiest, that will raise funds for young students hoping to improve our world.

Today marks a year, but not a life. I hope to fill whatever days remain for me with a fraction of the love, honor and passion for life you always had. I hope to be there for Elyse, Sean, Margot, and Bren as well as our McBride crew.

I hope you are dancing now.

Until then- I’ll meet you in the sunrise, in the random jokes, in the stories we tell, and movies we quote. I’ll see you in your kids’ smiles and the big dreams they hold. I’ll relish our QQT, the pints of Guinness, the outdoor walks, the

Les Mis duets, the coffee chats, and the love we share through time. 💕☘️🌈