By Renee Liu

    Recently we lost a dear friend, Vanessa Unger, an 11-year-old girl from Germany. We grieved over the cruel fact that her life was so short, but it is the strength and power of her limited life that has given us courage and faith in the future.

    She was the only European in Grade 6 of our school. She joined our class in September, the beginning of this semester.

    Despite the fact that she didn’t look like us, she never hesitated to make friends with anyone. She tried her best to have conversations with everybody whenever possible. Although the result didn’t come out as she had hoped — the language barrier made our conversations very limited — still, I must say, Unger was the best diplomat in our class, for her kind nature earned her many friends, drawing our attention like a magnet.

    Unger was well-built and good at sports, which was apparently the reason why she was in the girls’ football team in our school. In football games, she often instructed us on which position we each should be overseeing. Also, in other team games, instead of blaming someone for what they did wrong, she was more likely to encourage us. She showed true leadership and great sportsmanship in those games.

    She also liked to reach out a helping hand whenever possible — in a bossy way, some might say. In class, if someone didn’t finish his or her homework, she would point this out rather loudly, “Why didn’t you finish your homework?” and then thrust her finished-on-time homework at him, urging him to be quick. If anyone didn’t bring their stationary to school, she would willingly lend him one, while reminding him to bring his own next time in a commanding tone. Also, if someone had left his instrument in the music classroom, she would keep on “bugging” him, until he surrendered and went up to fetch it. With someone like her around, who was almost like your mom, it was unlikely for you to be forgetful.

    One day the sudden news came to us like a bolt from the blue that our friend Unger had passed away because of bad health. The news was so abrupt that many of us couldn’t even accept the loss of our dear friend. We mourned for her and wept in pain for her unstoppable passing.

    The memory that a lovely girl played with us for the last time was so fresh that we can hardly believe we will no longer see her. We will never again see a strong, athletic girl playing football on the grassy court. But I fervently believe that the memories of Vanessa Unger, a bright, approachable, generous girl, will always be very much alive in our hearts.