Jelisa and I met the first day of grade 7 and connected immediately, becoming fast friends. She was funny, kind, beautiful and a loyal friend. Anytime that I spent with Jelisa we would laugh and laugh.
I have two stand out memories with Jelisa that were the best of times.
The first was attending a Nicki Minaj concert when we were 14 and 13, August 18th, 2015. Our seats were on the floor, row 7. We were so close to the stage that both Jelisa and I cried when Nicki came out. It was overwhelming. When our favourite song, “Only”was played , we both were belting out the lyrics, from our toes. I can still see the joy on her face.
The second, August 9, 2018, was a disastrous yet hilarious trip down the Bow River, plagued by equipment failures. It started with Jelisa’s boat springing a leak and her putting her thumb in the hole to keep it afloat. She managed for about 15 minutes until her hand started cramping and she deflated into the water. Jelisa then co-opted my brother’s raft which soon sunk, leaving both of them to join our friend Claudia and myself on our last remaining device. Before long, we were out of boats and the four of us abandoned our river adventure, retreating to the shore.
Jelisa was a devoted friend. She would still come visit me after I moved across the city when we were young. We remained close through high school. After high school, I moved out of Calgary and our relationship became more distant. I know Jelisa struggled and I wish I could have done more to support and help her.
The last time I seen Jelisa was January 23, 2024 after she reached out. I wish we would have taken a picture that day. We spent the day thrifting and reconnecting. We were still friends. She was still the same gentle soul. We went for lunch and talked about the past, our regrets, our hopes for the future.
I will miss my friend, Jelisa. I am sorry for what happened to her. I offer my deepest condolences to her family and other friends that will surely feel empty without her. Jelisa greatly impacted my life and I will remember her, always.
I owe you a “Boomba,” Jay!
