Death is a grueling event that happens in everyone’s life. If it has not happened, it will. Whether those who succumb to Death are murdered, overdose on drugs, or simply die of old age, they leave one’s life forever; yet, with that loss, said individual gains insight and a lesson that they will never forget. I happen to be one of those individuals who have lost a loved one, more than one in this case and on more than one occasion. While every time Death and I met changed me greatly, such as my grandfather dying of cancer, there are two particular loved ones who have left that have changed me the most: Jack and Hank, my two best friends who allowed the Sweet Whisper of Death coax them into his deceitful hands.
In seventh grade, Jack, Hank, and I were inseparable. If all three of us weren’t with each other, there was an unstoppable force preventing us from being so. Jack had been dating a girl named Catherine since grade school and we had adopted her into our band of misfits. At this time, Jack had an extremely difficult home life. His father was an abusive alcoholic and his mother was never home to care for him. April 23rd, 2006, Jack’s mother filed for divorce which put a huge strain on Jack that would only build. May 16th, 2006, Jack found out that his girlfriend of over three years had been cheating on him. To add additional heartbreak, the person his beloved Catherine had been committing infidelities with, was Hank. Jack was devastated. All of the stress added up from his lifetime of abuse, his parents’ divorce, and his best friend’s betrayal caused Jack to finally listen to the Sweet Whisper of Death. On May 23rd, 2006, a month before my birthday, Jack committed suicide at approximately three a.m. I had been the first to find him hanging from Catherine’s studded belt in his closet. I was traumatized and to this day I still wake up screaming. Hank, however, was grief-stricken. In his mind, he killed his best friend, and he felt as though he needed to listen to the Sweet Whisper of Death to pay his respects to Jack. June 9th, 2006, Hank hung himself with his own belt in the school bathroom, according to the bathroom pass, at approximately 11:27 a.m. I had lost my two best friends to Death within a month of each other and He was definitely coaxing me to follow them as well. At one point, I had a carving knife pressed against my wrist, but then I realized, I needed to live for them.

With the death of Jack and Hank, the lesson I learned was there are two types of courage: the Courage to Live and the Courage to Die. Jack and Hank had the Courage to Die; I, however, had the Courage to Live. I decided that with my new found courage, I would not let it go to waste. I used to be a “C” student, sauntering through school, just scraping by, I wasn’t involved in any extra curricular activities, and I had not put much value to anything or anyone; now, I’m a student that gets a 3.0 grade point average every semester at the very least, I am the Arizona Brazilian Jiu Jitsu State Champion, and I treasure every moment I spend with those that I love.

If I had not realized that I had the Courage to Live, I probably would have followed Jack and Hank and listened to the Sweet Whisper of Death. I know I would not have made it thus far and it is a fact that I would not have been this successful in life. I miss Jack and Hank desperately every day and at the same time, I thank them for the insight they have blessed upon me and them helping me find my courage.