Haley

I have been thinking alot lately about my best friend who died in 7th grade. Her name was Mahayla Shepherd, but we just called her Haley( because she hated her real name, and she hated bread). She had down syndrome, and was the sweetest person I have ever known. I love her. I can't think of anyone that is nicer than her. I know that her spunky self is looking down on her family and friends and me right now and calling out "go sista friend!"

I met Haley, at my fifth grade open house, the night before school started and then saw her in my ward later that week. I had just changed schools and wards and was worried about the transition. I started hanging out with Haley thinking I was being nice, but I soon realized that she was a better friend to me than I could ever be to her. She called me her "best friend," but she also called everybody else that. But the thing about Haley was, everyone was her best friend. That is probably why she was the most popular girl in school.

There was another Down Syndrome boy in our ward and in our grade, and Haley and him got married several times in the playground. Haley also had a crush on the school janitor, the prinicipal and our friends older brother(who is a major hottie). Haley saw no differences between a chubby old janitor, grey prinicipal and a hot runner, they were all good enough for her to love and chase around trying to kiss.

I went through fifth grade with her, sixth grade and seventh grade. I went to her birthday parties(that are still to this day one of the biggest birthday celebrations i have been to. everyone just loved her), mutual, sunday school, girls camp, primary, class, p.e., and played at her house.

One Sunday, I was sitting next to her in Primary during singing time. This was back when I didn't know her that well. I decided I would be nice and "help" Haley along by telling her the words of the song. Finally after alot of huffs and puffs from Haley, she turned around and said "Alright already, i can read, ok!" I never treated Haley like she was different ever again.

When I was twelve, Haley was diagnosed with yet another heart condition. She had to stay in the hospital for about four months waiting for a new heart. From what the doctors said, we all believed Haley was going to get better and couldn’t wait until our best friend was back.

Then, on February 13, 2001 I was called into the Principal’s office. I was met there by some other friends of Haley. We were told a blood clot had lodged in her brain and that our sweet and perfect friend had died earlier that morning.

At Haley's funeral, they told a lot of story's of the deep love that Haley had and everyone cried because they had felt that same love from Haley. The girls in our ward sang the song "friends we are and friends will ever be where ever we go where ever we may be, camping friends will always be throughout eternity." A song we had sung earlier that year at girls camp. I never had thought about the eternity part.

My friend recently had a baby and named it after Haley. I hope that Haley's zest and spunk and zeal for life can be felt by this cute little baby girl, because if so it will be a life worth living! I think she is starting off her life with a good start toward becoming spunky!!(see picture below)

Dear Haley, i love you and i know we will be camping friends for eternity. I love you!

Love, Jennifer your "sista friend"