Zlata and I grew up together in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.  We lived right around the corner from each other, probably about a 5 minute walk.  We met when we were about 6 or 7 years old, and forged a friendship that would span three decades.

It is hard for me to think of a childhood memory that does not include Zlata.  We spent so much of our time together.  If we were not at my house swimming in the pool and having BBQ, we were at her house, playing on the swing set and eating BBQ on her family's outdoor picnic table. If we weren't doing that, we were at the park, playing on the monkey bars, sliding down the slide, and swinging on the swings.  We always had a contest to see who could swing the highest.  Zlata always beat me, but it didn't matter.  We had fun and laughed and laughed.

We would frequently get our tennis racquets and play ball against the wall of our elementary school (Elmcrest Public School), or our Middle School (Hillside Public School).  We would go on endless walks, both around our neighbourhood and in the neighbouring city (Oakville).  We would walk in the forest, and Zlata and I would have all sorts of discussions.

As we got older and went to different high schools, we remained even closer.  Our conversations went from "let's play today" to "do you want to see my new jeans?" or "let me tell you about a boy I like".  I could tell Zlata anything and everything.

Some of my favourite memories include: Zlata coming to my house with two empty ice cream cones and me piling them both high with chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream.  What a friendship, she had the cones, I had the ice cream….we were both happy kids LOL. When swimming at my hose, we would fashion our towels as dresses, skirts, and shirts and "walk the runway".  We'd also go underwater and do some fun poses, while the other watched with goggles.  We both wanted to be models.

We had sleepovers at each other's homes, and watched scary movies (Stephen King's Pet Sematary scared us to the point that we only fell asleep when the sun came up).  We read so many books by RL Stine and the Sweet Valley Twins/High series, that we started our own book club and had in depth discussions about books. Zlata and I were avid readers, so these discussions were quite frequent.  I also won't forget the time Zlata's father took us all to Canada's Wonderland for her 15th birthday, where we rode all kinds of roller coasters and ate all kinds of junk food.

As we got older, (like 12 or 13), we started going to the mall as opposed to the park.  We would go to the dollar store and would buy a can of pop and a candy bar for a dollar and walk through the entire mall, looking in all the stores.  We would go into these really expensive stores and try on beautiful dresses that we could never afford, and ridiculous dresses that would make us laugh and laugh. We'd sometimes walk into the local pharmacy and try and find the best smelling shampoo.  One time we started a collection of perfume samples (sometimes it was an actual sample, but mostly it was the paper cards that contained a spray of perfume).  We each had a major collection, but after a few years we stopped and eventually all that perfumed paper got thrown away.

I'll also never forget how great she was at thrift store shopping.  She could spot a deal a mile away.  She wore a beautiful red dress to a formal in high school that cost her $5.00.  She was by far the most beautiful girl there.

When we both entered our university days (and the following years after), we didn't contact each other as often as we did before, but we always managed to stay in touch.  And when we did touch base, we always picked up right where we left off.

Zlata, and her parents and brothers, were such a huge part of my life, and I didn't really realize it until after she passed away.  I never got to tell her just how much of an impact she had on my life.  I take solace in feeling that wherever she is, she knows just how much I truly loved her. I send her a hug and kiss every night before I go to bed.

Since losing Zlata, I've really come to realize just how precious life is, to never take another day for granted, to tell those who you care about just how much they mean to you.  I think if Zlata was alive today, she would tell us not to focus on the loss, but to focus on living life to the fullest and loving life in the deepest way possible.  She would want us to live the best life possible.

"Sometimes, I wish I could go back in life.  Not to change anything, but to feel a few things twice." 

How lucky I was to have known someone that was so hard to say goodbye to.  RIP Dearest.  I will love you and miss you forever.

-Anita

I don't remember exactly how our all girl group of friends formed in high school but that is how I first met Zlata. She was tall, beautiful, funny and smart and so easy to be around. She carted us around in her little yellow Renault car handed down to her from her older brother. She loved to play The Smiths while she drove and dreamed of her life beyond high school. She made a plan to finish school as soon as she could and travel solo across Europe. To fund this trip she got a retail job at the mall. As the months dwindled down before her departure she took more and more shifts, sometimes skipping class to work. Nothing was going to stop her from making her trip happen. And the day finally came. First semester was over and Zlata was officially done high school. The night before her flight to Paris we made one last stop at the mall to get a couple little things she would need for her trip. She dropped me off at home and I watched an 18 year old Zlata set off to make her dream come true.

I had the privilege of travelling with Zlata and Nate on multiple occasions. We visited Zlata's family home in Serbia, we hung out on the sun drenched beaches of Crete and walked the intimate streets of Taos, New Mexico.

Zlata was always in the lead and could eat the most, but never showed it! Such energy, vitality and curiousity... She and Nate also knew how to travel light, unlike some of us who famously tried to lug an oversize suitcase up a flight of Grecian steps inside a the tight walls of a taverna.

Zlata loved Leonard Cohen, who in one of his songs famously said:

I'm travelling light, it's au revoir

My once so bright, my fallen star

I'm running late, theyll close the bar

I used to play one mean guitar

You certainly played a mean guitar girl. Miss you. Until we meet again, keep the bar open...