Sara and I were suite mates our freshman year of college at NC State. We both seemed curious about each other but played it cool, at least I know I did. From the moment I met Sara, there was a warmth and genuineness about her that just drew me in. But there was also something about her that terrified me. Yes, sweet little Sara scared me! She had this quiet confidence and certainty about herself that was super intimidating. I wanted to get to know her but didn’t want to come off as uncool or overly eager to become friends. Sometime freshman year, I caught a really bad cold and severely dehydrated. Poor Sara was the only one in our suite that night. She freaked out and started contacting every person possible that I was friends with to come help take me to the ER because as luck would have it the Carroll Hall elevator was out of service and we lived on the 9th floor. Through a very foggy memory of that night, it was then that I realized that Sara truly cared about me because she had been paying attention to the little things all along. Upon my return, she sarcastically joked about how traumatic that night was and we immediately bonded with sarcasm becoming our primary love language that kept us laughing nonstop over the years to come.
After freshman year, Sara and one of our other suite mates, Allie, asked me to live with them off campus. I was completely flattered and obvi said yes!! While living with Sara, I noticed how she paid great attention to details. She didn’t miss a beat if she cared about you and she showed you that in big and little ways, quietly letting you know that she sees you and that she cares. If we were throwing a party, she made sure we had everything possible that was needed from decorations to cups to outfits, no matter the theme. If we were going out, she was prepared with all the necessities that everyone else frequently forgot. If she noticed you liking something, she would surprise you with a treat or a well planned adventure—like taking you to your first concert in America because you were so stoked about accidentally having gone to your first concert ever in Europe while studying abroad. If she noticed you were down, she would listen and undoubtedly make you laugh. If you were headed down a bad path, she would help reroute you without you even realizing it at first. She was the type of person that truly made everything and everyone around her better.
Next I picked up on the fact that Sara was basically an undiscovered genius who did everything out of love and with great passion—and she was incredible at everything she ever took on! She was the type of person who just made things happen. She literally made everything look so easy and effortless, it was unbelievable! Even if something was challenging for her, she would just keep her head down and grind away at it. If something seemed impossible, she would scream into a pillow to get her frustration out and make the impossible possible. While most people took victory laps, she graduated top of her class from one of the hardest programs at our university in 3 years. I mean talk about impressive! Persistency and brilliance like hers is a rare find!
Something that could not be overlooked was how Sara’s creativity was off the charts! She was (and still is) one of the most creative humans I have ever met. Whether she recreated something she saw, spun off something from an inspiration, or came up with a new idea or vision of her own, she had no boundaries and would get lost in the enjoyment of creation. I’m not sure if I ever told her, but she was the reason I overcame my fear of not being “good enough” to use my creativity and finally started to just enjoy and thrive in it. I’m also not sure if she was aware of how admired she was by so many people (including myself). She rarely ever seeked attention or recognition, but she was one of the people who deserved it the most.
Included in her creativity was her sense of style. Sara had her own, unique style that I wholeheartedly adored! I constantly tried to fit into her clothes (even though I was a smidge bit taller than her) and she would selflessly let me borrow or even give me her clothes. She loved comfy, oversized sweatshirts so much that I started to love them too. My first and fave oversized sweatshirt to this day is the gray NC State one that she gave me. Even more so than having her own unique style, she knew everything there was to know about fashion. I can’t count the number of times she helped me pick out what to wear. She was basically my stylist during the time we lived together and it was one of the best things ever! Not to mention that anytime she borrowed something of mine, I would feel this major sense of accomplishment as though I was providing the outfit to a runway model in a New York or Paris fashion show.
Another one of Sara’s many talents was being the ultimate DJ. Sara usually had control of the music because she had the best and most up-to-date playlists (no matter the genre or vibe of the day). We bonded a lot over music, whether it was getting super hype over a song and busting into our fave dance moves or picking apart lyrics and laughing until we were crying about how they made absolutely no sense. For a while, she really had a thing for repetitive two word rap songs like Rack City that we would constantly joke and laugh about (I think Kyle may have had some influence on these selections and I have to admit they were very catchy). One of my most vivid and absolutely favorite memories of Sara is the way she would light up whenever “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey played, sing-shouting the line “Born and raised in South Detroit” at the top of her lungs. To this day, I still think of her every time I hear this song and just cheese to myself.
Sara was the best at seeking out adventures, and anytime she said something would be really fun, it genuinely was and there was absolutely no chance I would miss out (unless I didn’t have a choice)! Honestly, everything was an adventure with Sara, even days spent home with absolutely nothing to do. She had an unexplainable way of making things fun. Whether we made headbands with the endless amounts of thread she always had, created hilarious dance videos (because Sara was an amazing dancer and I just was…goofy), or made silly bets that ended with one of us getting stuck in a dryer or trashcan, life with Sara was never boring. I’m not sure how we didn’t have abs of steel because the laughter never stopped.
On the flip side, anytime I could get Sara to try something new that was out of her comfort zone, whether it was food (outside of her mac and cheese or buttered noodle diet) or a new activity or a new group of friends, I would feel like the most special person in the world because it was a such big deal!! You see, even though Sara was super adventurous, she was also very calculated in the risks she took and it was rare that she would do something she didn’t think had a high success rate. Her selectiveness and discipline to make wise choices was also something I always admired about her. She was a true inspiration in so many ways and yet one of the most humble and grounded people in the world.
I consider myself lucky to have known Sara and even more fortunate to have had such a special bond with her. She was, and forever will be, one of my favorite people of all times and I have really struggled to accept the concept of a future without her. After college, Sara and I went down different paths and slowly grew apart. But something would always remind us of each other and spark up a conversation or an occasional meetup. I always thought that our bond was unbreakable and without a doubt felt that I would catch up to her in life one day soon hopefully reuniting and intertwining our paths again. Given what has happened, it seems silly to think that way and I regret taking time for granted because clearly it waits for no one. I hate the fact that two such wonderful people are gone entirely too soon and that adorable little Tucker was robbed of the most loving, caring, creative, hilarious, and adventurous parents in the world. I do, however, find peace and beauty in knowing that Sara and Kyle left this world together. What a testament to their unity and love for one another! My heart, thoughts, and prayers go out to everyone who is grieving their loss and trying to comprehend this tragedy, especially to Tucker and both Sara and Kyle’s families—please know that you are not alone and that there is a full support system of people who infinitely love those two in your corner ❤️
