Finding Strength by Braelyn

Finding Strength by Braelyn - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

Sunday, September 21, 2025, is the day that my life changed forever. It began like any other day. Full of laughter and sunny, but by noon, everything felt heavier. Even the weather shifted at the change in energy. What started as a bright, clear morning turned into a misty, gray afternoon, it was almost as if the world knew and sensed what was coming.
That morning, I woke up early to go watch a baseball game. Instead of cheering on my brother, I was going to be watching my five year old cousin, Kayson. As you can imagine, the game was very entertaining, and after it ended, my family took pictures with him before heading home. As we pulled into our driveway, my mom’s phone rang. It was my best friend calling her, not me. This alone felt strange, but as I tried to shrug it off, I realized it wasn’t my friend on the line but her dad. That was when the dread started to set in. My parents went straight to their room to talk, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I tried not to jump to conclusions, but the silence was so loud. I went to my room and looked out the window. It had started to rain, making things feel more unsettling, especially after such a beautiful morning. A few minutes later, both of my parents walked in. My mom’s eyes were filled with tears, and before they even spoke, I knew my life was about to change.
They told me my friend Jayleigh had been taken to the hospital the night before. Her heart had stopped. The doctors were able to get her back briefly, but she passed away shortly after due to asthma related complications. In that moment, the world I knew felt like it had all shattered. I was forced to confront how fragile life truly is and how quickly everything can be taken away. Losing Jayleigh changed me in many ways that I never expected. Grief doesn't just affect your heart it can completely alter the way you think, how you feel, and how you see the world. There were days when simply getting out of bed felt impossible, but I found myself getting up and showing up not only for myself but for my friends who were hurting just as deeply as me. Through this loss, I discovered a strength I didn’t know I had. The ability to keep going while carrying so much pain and to support others even when I was struggling myself.
Over the months following her death and even now, I have learned that strength doesn't always look like being fearless or unshaken. Sometimes it's choosing hope when it's easier to just give up, or finding joy in small moments when everything feels heavy. I began journaling daily, allowing myself a place to grieve honestly. I stopped taking the simple things for granted. Hugging my parents more, telling my friends I love them, and appreciating moments that once felt ordinary but truly were life changing, no matter how small. This experience forced me to confront my own assumptions on time and the things that I think are permanent in my life. I realised how often I had taken life, and the people in it, for granted. Jayleigh’s passing taught me to live life with intention, to love unconditionally, and to never leave appreciation unspoken.
Although the pain of losing her is something that I still carry. I take life one day at a time now. I am more present, more grateful, and more aware of the impact I can have on others. When I look back on that rainy day in September, I see more than just the person I lost, but growth in myself. Through grief, I found resilience, and through heartbreak, I found strength. And by remembering Jayleigh, I learned how to live life more fully than I ever had before