This might be one of the most serious blogs I have and ever will post, but I felt the need to let the outside world into my heart. My weakness.

I wanted to share with everyone the story of Blair, my young friend who chose to leave this world early.

I was introduced to Blair six years ago when I was barely even considered a teenager. She was very open with her emotions, she was very expressive. She took an interest in me, and I thought it was cool that someone thought that I was cool.

Every time I did something crazy with my appearance, Blair was the first one to think it was awesome and start filling my head up with compliments. I knew she looked up to me, for some reason or another, and I loved it.

One of the last things she ever said to me was that she wanted to become a Suicide Girl as soon as she turned 18 (which would have been this past August). She was so excited when I told her how to do it. She would have been phenomenal.

A few weeks later, I was sitting in a Starbucks with my sister and my dad on a rainy day when I received a text saying that Blair had committed suicide. I stared at my phone for about 10 minutes straight before I could even respond to anything my dad or sister had been saying to me. I looked up from my phone and had tears running down my face. I asked my dad to take me home, and started bawling as soon as we got in his car.

I couldn't even begin to comprehend this harsh reality. She was such a wonderful, lovable girl. Nothing was adding up in my head.

I attended her wake a few days later (which had a line of out of the building and halfway down the street). As soon as I stepped in the door, her mother hugged me and said, "She adored you so much." I will never forget those words or the impact they had on my life.

I walked over to the casket in which my 17 year old friend was enclosed, and decided to keep the memory of this sweet child alive forever. And that is where The Blair Movement began. (If you aren't sure what that is, I have a blog about it from September 2011.)

I am sincerely hoping to win Inked Suicide Girl of the year not only to donate a large portion of the prize money to AFSP, but for Blair.

The last conversation I had with Blair was about how she wanted to be a Suicide Girl when she turned 18. Her 18th birthday was August 1st, and the one year mark of her passing was two days ago.

I want for her last wish discussed with me to come true. Winning the title of Inked Suicide Girl of the year would be 100% dedicated to Blair.


I love you, Blair. I miss you and I wish you were here.



EDIT:

Anyone looking to donate to AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention), you can donate here.

If you screenshot the page once you've donated and send an email to theblairmovement@gmail.com with the screenshot along with your address, I will send you a "Be the Cure" bracelet in the mail.