I sit here in a solemn state of mind and recall the tragic summer of 1992. Though prepared for facing eighth grade, I was not prepared for what the end of the summer would bring. I never would have expected a phone call could change my whole life.

It was around 2:00 in the afternoon. I was helping my mother clean the house, when the phone rang. It was a friend of mine, Aaron. The words that followed after his "hello" were completely astounding. He told me that a drunk driver had hit my best friend, Tobie. At that very moment, Tobie was in intensive care with a crushed rib cage, a shattered knee, and a broken pelvic bone. He was also in a severe coma.

I remember crying and pleading for a ride to see him. On the way to the hospital, seconds seemed like days.When I arrived, I rushed directly to find out where Tobie was. I remember the doctor saying "I think it would be better for you to wait in the waiting room," but I begged and he finally let me go into the intensive care unit.

When I saw him, I began to cry. Tobie looked so awful. I didn't think that he was going to last much longer. I remember sitting next to him. Slowly minutes dragged to hours and hours dragged to days. Two days passed before Tobie woke up. Knowing that he was awake gave me a sense of relief and hope.

Tobie was moved to a private room, and was hooked up to all kinds of IV tubes. Most of his close family and friends were there. We wanted to let him rest. We were gone for less than three hours, but when we got back it was too late. The doctors had done all that they could to save him, but he died of a severe heart attack.

My life felt worthless, empty without Tobie. To this very day, I still think of him. The saying that you don't appreciate someone until they are gone is really true. I value each and every memory that I have of our friendship. The only tangible memories that I have are a school ring and a letter written from him before he went to Ocean City. Experiencing this tragedy has made me a stronger person. I now cherish the friendships that I have, and realize how quickly something can happen to the people that you love.

Every now and then I talk to Tobie's mother and we laugh reliving memories of Tobie. His friendship is irreplaceable, for he will always hold a special place in my heart. c