It was 9-1-08 when i first met Denise. My best friend Justin came to visit me in SC from Fl. He had 2 friends with him, one was Darrell and the other was Denise. I still remember clear as day when i first met her. They had just got into my town and they called me up cause they were lost. So i asked them for some landmarks and what was around them. After doing so i went to go find them and i did. We got back to my house and we talked, laughed, catching up on the old days, she even got to watch an old video of Justin and i when we were younger. At one point i remember i got a chance to talk to her and get to know her a little bit. I belive from that point on, she was going to be a good friend one day. 

 We got a chance to go the beach that was 2 hours away from my home. We laughed, had a good time and had no worries at that time. On the way back to home we had to stop and get gas for her car and i still remember the look on her face when i paid for the gas too. A look i cannot describe well but the following words came to mind: Thankful, Suprised, Appreciation, Shocked, Grateful, Awesome. I remember when it was time to go to bed Justin and Denise had to sleep in the car because Darrell and i snored. i mean SNORED. After they left to head back home to Fl i knew that she would be a great and dear friend to me, even though that was the only time i've got to seen her in person. 

As time went on i remember i was going through some darkest times and depressing times in my life and she was there for me even though we were hundreds of miles away. All i can say is she imprinted herself onto my mind, body, spirit and heart. She will forever be burned in them all. 

Miss and Love you Denise. Thank you for everything

It was 9-1-08 when i first met Denise. My best friend Justin came to visit me in SC from Fl. He had 2 friends with him, one was Darrell and the other was Denise. I still remember clear as day when i first met her. They had just got into my town and they called me up cause they were lost. So i asked them for some landmarks and what was around them. After doing so i went to go find them and i did. We got back to my house and we talked, laughed, catching up on the old days, she even got to watch an old video of Justin and i when we were younger. At one point i remember i got a chance to talk to her and get to know her a little bit. I belive from that point on, she was going to be a good friend one day. 

 We got a chance to go the beach that was 2 hours away from my home. We laughed, had a good time and had no worries at that time. On the way back to home we had to stop and get gas for her car and i still remember the look on her face when i paid for the gas too. A look i cannot describe well but the following words came to mind: Thankful, Suprised, Appreciation, Shocked, Grateful, Awesome. I remember when it was time to go to bed Justin and Denise had to sleep in the car because Darrell and i snored. i mean SNORED. After they left to head back home to Fl i knew that she would be a great and dear friend to me, even though that was the only time i've got to seen her in person. 

As time went on i remember i was going through some darkest times and depressing times in my life and she was there for me even though we were hundreds of miles away. All i can say is she imprinted herself onto my mind, body, spirit and heart. She will forever be burned in them all. 

Miss and Love you Denise. Thank you for everything

It was 9-1-08 when i first met Denise. My best friend Justin came to visit me in SC from Fl. He had 2 friends with him, one was Darrell and the other was Denise. I still remember clear as day when i first met her. They had just got into my town and they called me up cause they were lost. So i asked them for some landmarks and what was around them. After doing so i went to go find them and i did. We got back to my house and we talked, laughed, catching up on the old days, she even got to watch an old video of Justin and i when we were younger. At one point i remember i got a chance to talk to her and get to know her a little bit. I belive from that point on, she was going to be a good friend one day. 

 We got a chance to go the beach that was 2 hours away from my home. We laughed, had a good time and had no worries at that time. On the way back to home we had to stop and get gas for her car and i still remember the look on her face when i paid for the gas too. A look i cannot describe well but the following words came to mind: Thankful, Suprised, Appreciation, Shocked, Grateful, Awesome. I remember when it was time to go to bed Justin and Denise had to sleep in the car because Darrell and i snored. i mean SNORED. After they left to head back home to Fl i knew that she would be a great and dear friend to me, even though that was the only time i've got to seen her in person. 

As time went on i remember i was going through some darkest times and depressing times in my life and she was there for me even though we were hundreds of miles away. All i can say is she imprinted herself onto my mind, body, spirit and heart. She will forever be burned in them all. 

Miss and Love you Denise. Thank you for everything

This is so tragic. My condolences go out to Denise's mother and father and all of her family. I will be praying for you all. I know it is painful to lose someone you  love, but to lose a child, that is pain I can only imagine. It is harder than anything this world can dish out. I wish I could wrap my arms around her parents and tell them how much pain I feel about their lose. Unfortunately, I can not and I do not think it would make a difference in their grief, because I have not suffered the loss they have. Only the love of Jesus Christ can heal that wound.

I do not know anything about how Denise was lost, and perhaps it is none of my business, except to extend my sympathy and love to the surviving family and friends. If anyone cares to share the details of how we lost such a precious person, please email me at mikeclarknc@hotmail.com.

God bless you all; you are in my prayers. We will see Denise again in the resurrection.

Mike

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FObjd5wrgZ8

I was with Denise the day she picked up her Diploma from UNF. She was so excited to finally receive it. I waited in the car for her as she went inside, and I thought "What a scary place this is! There is no way I could find my way around this campus if I tried." She returned to the car with an annoyed look on her face, buckled the seat belt, and said nothing. I asked what was wrong, and she said "All that time... all of those years of writing papers and working hard for what? A peice of paper with a signature on it. It's not even signed by a real person! It's printed!" I laughed at her annoyance, and then said to her "It may be printed, but you just proved to yourself, once again, that you can do ANYTHING you set your mind too." I was proud of her. The very thought of walking on to that big campus terrified me, but Denise? Not a chance. She was strong.

To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.  ~W. Somerset Maugham

Denise loved books. She seemed to immerse herself in them, and  discuss them at any chance. It is heartbreaking to think the book of her life has been cut so short, but oh the volumes her caring, her smile, her quirky sense of humor, her spirit, and her love for those dear to her will live on in  memories.