For Mickey

I did not know Mickey Shunick. She was a friend of a friend. But I would like to take a heartbeat to salute her bravery and courage in the face of something I hope none of you ever have to face.

Mickey disappeared in Lafayette in May. My father is from Lafayette; my grandparents, uncle, cousins still live there. She was riding her bike home from a friend's house and vanished. About a week later, there was surveillance footage of her riding her bike on the street that night. She never made it home.

She was missing until last week, when her body was found in a cemetary about thirty miles outside of Lafayette; police were led there by her killer. A man who had killed before.

Mickey was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She fought for her life. She had mace and used it, she was smart, she did not panic, she was determined. She did everything she should and evil took her life away.

But I want everyone to know that she is remembered. There was a massive manhunt for her when she disappeared that did not let up. She was obviously loved and seems to have touched at least everyone in Louisiana through someone else, if not by her own hand.  Sometimes people are taken from us too soon and I do not want to live without everyone I love knowing I love them.

Things can change in a heartbeat. And it sounds so cliche but if you left the world today, would you be satisfied with how it ended? I know I wouldn't. But starting today, I no longer want to regret. I want to talk to my family as often as I can. I want my friends to know I love them, not think I am pissed off at them. I want my coworkers to know I appreciate the hard work they put in, even when I am a bear to work with.

So today, in Mickey's honor, I start living my life again. I can only hope to live it half as well as she did.