Sarah Bates

As I drive down the long winding road, passing through the shadows that are casted by the large oak trees above, the glare from the sun catches my eyes and I immediately know that it’s time for me to get out of my car. The bright reflection is coming from my best friend’s grave marker that was placed in the cemetery just over three years ago. The extremely sudden death of McKenzie was something that changed my outlook on life forever. I always described her as the girl that would walk into a room and her presence would be immediately known. Everyone gravitated towards her warm and loving personality, her raspy voice and her over-powering laugh. She was taken too soon but from her death came life for so many others, including me. Her legacy was too special to go unnoticed and thankfully, I was given a part in growing her lasting impact on this world. The foundation that we worked to create in her honor focuses on helping young people achieve their full potential in this increasingly difficult and complex world. Through work with her foundation and the opportunity to travel all the way to Uganda to visit orphanges built in her name, I have learned what it truly means to serve others. At the time of her death, I was a freshman in high school and only concerned with myself. I quickly learned that life was too short and to sit around consumed with selfish thoughts would be a total waste. McKenzie’s legacy had a huge impact on my life and shaped me into the person that I am today. I find extreme joy in helping others through volunteering and mentoring. Though it was extremely hard to deal with her death, I am a new person because of it. Though I am extremely far from being perfect, helping others is something that I thrive at and I will continue to do it for the rest of my life thanks to McKenzie Wilson.