Emily…. 💜

My heart hurts so much 💔

I have been putting this off, thinking somehow this is still not real.. but I’m sitting here in my bright purple shirt loving and remembering you 💜

Emily and I met in college and was my best friend & roomate at the University of Arizona. 

Emily was ALWAYS the first person to offer compliments and make people feel amazing. I still hear in my head “hello beautiful, I love you” as she would often say.

Emily was the most generous, genuine, & kind person I know. She would give you the shirt off her back and would do anything for the ones she loved. Her generosity and kindness was what really set her apart! She always went out of her way to help others and to make people feel included and loved. That was my favorite thing about Emily, how incredibly kind she was. She was always ready for an adventure and wanted all her friends to go with.  I never felt a shortage of love around Emily. 

I knew Emily’s passion in life was to become a teacher, she talked about all the time how she just wanted to be a kindergarten teacher and that was what she wanted to do! We bonded over the fact years later that I became a teacher and so did she! 😀

So many fun memories we had together.

Giving me rides to school in your Rav4 and I would give you a dollar for parking haha 😆

Happy hour at BK (local Restaurant that that had 1$ dollar beer that Emily and I were obsessed with) 

Going to see you at your apartment when I needed a girls night and you were always there for me. 

All the amazing memories we made living together. 

Missing you as you would go for an overnight shift for work, watching you pack a suitcase, knowing you were doing amazing work with you clients. 

Our Hiking trips, so so many girls night outs, many amazing times I had with you and will cherish for a lifetime.

When I heard the news, I couldn’t get out of my car for over 2 hours, I was thinking to myself how sad and mad I was that I didn’t reach out more recently and how it felt like my heart went into a million pieces at the thought of you gone.  

I had just talked with you inviting you to my wedding. Emily knew my boyfriend at the time now fiancé in college as he would come to visit. It hurts me that you won’t be at my wedding but I know you will be there in spirit. 🕊🕊 offering me all the love in the world and saying “hello beautiful, I love you”.

Say hi to Simon- 

I love you Emily 💜

I met Emily when she was a college roommate of my daughters at the University of Arizona.  She was such a love. If you've ever heard the little children's church song "This little light of mine" you'll know that this was Emily's theme and gift.  She was a light of friendship, love, acceptance, giving and never afraid to show she really cared. I can't know the depth of your grief. Know that she made a difference in my daughter Sydney's life and we will strive to continue sharing that light.  My heart is broken for the loss of such a lovely light and young lady - Emily.

Prayers for healing and that you are carried during this time of deep grief.  God is with you - and she is with God, so perhaps we aren't so far apart. 

Sending love and prayers from Emily's Kindergarten Teacher.  Emily had such an infectious smile and the biggest ❤️.  I  will keep all of you in my prayers during this sad time. 

Valerie Boyle (Drace)

Oh Em, I’ve been dreading writing anything as it seems to make the loss all the more real. I feel angry with myself for not staying in more frequent contact with you, but I know that’s the last thing you’d want. 

Em, we created the best of memories together in Tucson. Experiencing all the highs and lows together, your positive outlook on life always provided me comfort. Our late nights, lovely talks, long drives to the Tucson foothills and through the mountains was always perfect. You’ve always been a safe place, someone to turn to without judgment. We could laugh and cry together, and everything in between.

One of many memories that sticks out is when we went to the Catalina foothills and we’re climbing rocks. We were definitely ahead of ourselves doing this and you somehow managed to slip off a rock and yelped, “I failed rock climbing in gym class!” It was really not THAT funny but wow, we couldn’t stop laughing, and thought we were hilarious. Moments like these are what I cherish the most; moments that seemingly were so simple but created the best of memories. 

I will miss you more than words could ever, ever describe but I will forever cherish the time I was able to spend with you. I love you so much, I wish I could tell you one last time. I wish I could have one of your hugs, just one last time. 

Like Jordan, I met Emily when I was redistricted to Scotland Elementary School in the 4th grade. However we were not in the same class, I met her on the play ground where we learned we both shared “class clown” like energy. We were both extremely goofy and always played off each other’s jokes. I think it’s safe to say we gave the guys in our grade a run for their money. And there’s a reason she was so beloved by all of them in our big extended friend group! Anyone that knew Emily, knows her distinct and infectious laugh. I can hear it right now as I write this.

I ended up going to East Ridge for middle school but I had pride I knew the cool “girl gang” at Scott’s Ridge until we were back together at the high school. Emily was popular among everyone for the right reasons. She was genuinely nice, and never tried to be anyone but herself. She wouldn’t pass you in the hallways without calling out your name in a pure Emily manor. Every chapter I’ve known her thought out the years I saw her as the friendliest face in a room. It was impossible not to smile around her.

A few years back when I graduated college I rekindled talking to emily again when I ironically started nannying for the family next store of her childhood home. Just recently in June, Emily had stumbled upon my online spiritual shop ironically and was amazed to find out it was mine without knowing. She reached out to me and asked me to make her some personal healing crystal bracelets - she said trusted my instincts. Even though Emily was going through such a hard time, her upbeat, positive, truly grateful personality remained. She gave me so much love as she loved the package I sent her. She knew I was expecting my first child, my son Ryder in July. She told me I would be the best mom in every dimension and she would always cherish our friendship. It made me feel so special. Being very spiritual myself, I have some sense of peace that Emily let me in at the end of her life to let me know she was too. I know she knew there was so much beyond just this life. Her spirit was full of pure radiant light, and it still very much is.

Dave, thank you for sharing her connection to the Star Sirius. As one of my favorite stars I will think of her when I see it in the night sky.

To her family and friends, pay attention to the signs, no matter how big or small. I have no doubt she will be constantly letting you know she’s around just like the friendly, loving and warm energy she left her on Earth. 

Emily, I love you dearly. Thank you for always being genuine, yourself and a great friend. I believe I speak for the rest of our friends when I say this, give our other Angels Sawyer and Ryan a big hug from all of us. When I see anything to do with Bob Marley I will always be reminded of you! And what a beautiful human to be reminded by. 

One Love, Juli Pierandri 

Emily, I feel broken without you in this world  

You crashed (literally through a door) into my life at University of Arizona. I was homesick for Australia and had just moved to the USA. Meeting you made a new country feel like home. The laughter, music and good times are something I’ll never forget. We met 10 years ago exactly in August 2022.

I’ll never forget you pushing me to get out of my comfort zone, and me pushing you (literally) into the fountain at Old Main, where we ended up paddling around as we ticked an item off my Arizona bucket list. 

When I headed back to Australia, you made sure distance was never a barrier to our friendship. 

You’ll always be in my heart, dancing, singing and patting kangaroos and koalas.