Words cannot express the sadness and pain that I feel now that she is gone. I lost a best friend, a sister, and a piece of my heart.
Katie was so full of love. And when she loved something, she loved it with her whole heart. She couldn’t just casually love something. She went all out and she made sure everybody knew that she loved it. For example, she loved Ruth Bader Ginsburg. So she had to get an RBG necklace, an RBG t shirt, and RBG stickers. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if she ran an RBG fan club. But Katie also loved her family and friends. I was lucky to have Katie as not only a sister but as a godmother. And I really hit the jackpot. She would always buy me things when I was younger. She would just show up with some crazy striped pants for me that she got at the Children’s Place. And she always got me the best gifts like the chest full of princess dresses and crowns she got me one year for my birthday. I always wondered as an adult why she would always get me so many things. I wondered why maybe she didn’t save the money and go on a trip or something. One time I asked her and she said she just liked spending her money on me. But I honestly think she was just always thinking others. She loved making other people happy even if it was just with a candle with the words “light when Amanda farts” on it. She put others before herself. She loved us all so much.
I remember looking up to her so much when I was younger. I remember I loved coming to her apartment on the East Side and spending the weekend with her. I thought she was so cool, and she was so cool. I remember writing a paper in school on what I wanted to be when I grew up and I said a librarian because Katie worked at the library. Secretly I think Katie knew I wouldn’t really want to be a librarian when I grew up but she went along with it. Katie was 15 years older than me so I didn’t get to see her in her crazy party days at Wolski’s. But that’s okay, I’ll still have the memories of dancing to Thriller with her at her apartment and playing drunken Jenga but without the drinks. Part of the reason I love the East Side so much is because of Katie. She helped me find my apartment here and she helped me move in. I loved living two blocks alway from her. Sometimes we would run into each other on the bus on the way home from work and we would miss our stops because we were so caught up in conversation. The East Side will never be the same. Dancing to Return of the Mack will never be the same. Taking shots at family events will never be the same. My life will never be the same without Katie.
I think we could all learn a little bit about love from Katie. She always checked up on us. She always participated in the family group chat even when it got really annoying. She came to every important event and every party even if she had to take an hour long bus ride em to get there. She gave gifts even when people would say no gifts. Just remember to love and to love with all your heart, just like Katie.
I love you Katie and I will miss you forever.