Kira Ricketts

Kira Gail Ricketts is my hero. She passed away on June 11, 2006, and I miss her very much. I met Kira at my elementary school, Millbrook South Cavan. We met in grade 6, but we were not really friends right away. Kira was a year ahead of me in school, but she was two years older than me. I would always see her by herself on the pavement at recess, and I didn’t think that anyone should always be alone. So every time I saw her I would say "Hi!" At first she would just look at me and not say anything because she was incredibly shy if you didn’t know her. It took a while, but after a few weeks of me saying hi, she finally answered me and we had a conversation. We talked about our classes, our families and how cold it was outside. From then on, we spent a lot of recesses together on the swings, just talking.

Kira was very shy, but once you got to know her she talked all the time. She was a really fun person to be around and she was a huge Toronto Maple Leaf fan! Her mom told me that she had the jersey and loved to watch the games. That February I invited Kira to my birthday party, but sadly she could not come. It wasn’t until later that I found out why. In September Kira told me that she was changing schools so we exchanged email addresses and phone numbers and said good-bye. I emailed her a couple of times, but never really got an answer back.

Then June came and school was almost over when I had one of the worst days of my life. I was sitting in my classroom when the principal came in and asked if she could see me in the hall. When I went out there she told me that Kira had died the night before. I was in shock and just could not stop crying. I did not understand why a child could die. It was just unfair. Kira had done nothing to deserve this.

I knew that Kira had had a heart transplant when she was young, but I thought that now she was healthy. I was wrong. Kira had been sick since I first met her. She had needed another heart transplant. She got that transplant, but died due to complications several weeks afterward. I found out later why Kira could not come to my birthday party. Kira could not lie down without needing a breathing mask. She did not come because she was embarrassed.

Although Kira was sick and was not able to do everything that we can, she never complained. I never once heard her complain about not being able to run around at recess or having to miss school to go to the hospital. She never even complained at home. Her mom told me that she was very strong even when you could tell she didn’t feel well. She was so brave that when I knew her I didn’t even know that she was sick.

Kira is my hero because she inspires me to be brave. Whenever I am in a difficult situation and want to complain or cry, I just think about Kira and how courageous she was. Kira also inspires me to help others in situations similar to hers. After she passed away, I gave $100 to Toronto's Ronald McDonald House, where Kira spent a lot of time, in her honour. At my last birthday party, I also had my guests bring donations for Toronto's Ronald McDonald House. We raised $350. I plan to do this again this year and hope to raise even more.

I miss Kira very much, but it makes me feel better to know that Kira will never have to endure being sick again or be in the hospital anymore. It makes me feel better knowing that she is now in a better place. Kira is my inspiration and she inspires me everyday.