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I remember an amazing person from my childhood. She wasn’t a famous figure or anything; she wasn’t my mother, nothing like that. She was my horse back riding instructor who made such a difference in my life.

I remember Heidi as vividly as I see the computer screen today, a tall, tall woman with short red hair, hazel eyes, and an empowering, gentle laugh. She inspired so many people during the little time that I spent with her, that I feel her story should be shared with the world.

I was about 5 when I first met Heidi. It was my 16-year-old sister’s 10th birthday and my parents took her to a large horse barn, the first place either of us ever rode horses in our lives. They took us to the main ring where we met the barn’s owner and manager. Then my parents announced that we were allowed to have riding lessons if we wanted to. Of course, we did.

It was then when I met Heidi. The barn's manager, Laura, called her over to introduce herself. She jogged over, her long legs working underneath her blue LEVIS. She smiled at us and said in a casual, warm voice, "Hi there, I’m Heidi." It was then when we just clicked and became good friends, not just riding instructor and student. We spent a year together before we received that devastating news.

This news was about Heidi’s little brother, Chris, who had apparently been attempting a dangerous motorcycle stunt, flipped head over heels in the air, off the bike. In all my time spent with Heidi that was the only time I ever saw her cry. Then she explained to me, at 6 years old, about how she would have to move to Oregon, because when her brother crashed, he became quadriplegic, meaning he was paralyzed from the neck down. Heidi would have to move so she could take care of him. I cried the rest of the day.

The day that Heidi left, there was barely any tears, except the ones that came from the sky and from me. My family waited by her car for the good byes. Heidi gave everyone a hug, and when she got to me, she wiped away my tears and hugged me. Then she said to me," Don’t look back. And don’t worry. Whenever something bad happens, something good always follows." Then she was gone.