There are many ways to describe her. Someone could say she's quirky, someone else could call her out-going, and yet another person could label her as a fighter. But I call her my best friend, no matter what others say.

When Brittanee was eight years old, she almost lost her life to type one juvenile diabetes. Obviously she didn't, or else who would I be talking about? In January of 2006, her illness almost took her life again, keeping her out of school for two weeks. But that didn't stop her. Despite some limitations, she keeps going, day by day. She's insulin dependant, taking multiple injections everyday. Now that's what I call guts.

In eighth grade, she discovered her love of the written word, and began to write poetry in her spare time. The next year, she was chosen to be published in an anthology for Mesa Public Schools. Ever since, she has been writing poetry and original fiction, a few poems being selected for publication also. I know she would love to be a novelist in the future, but her mother keeps crushing her dreams of that. But she can dream, and does so everyday, letting out her hopes and wishes through her writing.

As long as I’ve known her, she has always put her friends before herself, giving and giving and never asking for much in return. It makes me sad sometimes to see the dark circles under her eyes, to see her nodding off, but not resting until everything is done. She has stood up for friends multiple times, she lends a shoulder to cry on even when she’s already waterlogged from someone else, and then when she needs someone, if a friend needs her, she’ll drop everything to help them. Always giving, never asking for anything. That’s just how she is.

One thing that I find particularly unique about Brittanee is her love of Alice in Wonderland and the characters within the book. Among her group of friends, they’ve taken upon themselves the titles of characters they find themselves most attached to. Which did she choose? The Cheshire Cat. Never having a reason, she just grins and keeps to it. In her spare time, currently, she works on a project called Living in Wonderland with her friend Beth, who illustrates for the story, while Britt writes it and short side stories.

I guess when it all comes down to it, if I had to describe her in three words, I’d have to say Brittanee is creative, giving, and hard-working. Come on, who else gives her mom her babysitting money to help with groceries or gas money, or is planning on waiting on college so she can work and help her mom with money? She’s awesome, and I don’t know what I’d do if she wasn’t here.