Dear Bridget...

Back in May of this year, the UGA student community was rock when it was announced that Bridget Thompson, a senior studying Spanish and microbiology, was killed by a pedestrian accident on GA 10 Loop. The following is a letter from one of Bridget's best friend, Christelle :

Dear Bridget,

I will never forget finals week. We didn’t really see each other that week, except for our snapchat streak, but that wasn’t unusual. We had a bond so tight that even when you were in Argentina we would talk every day. Smart gyal, I knew you had microbiology stuff to work on, so I didn’t think too much about not seeing you. We just had to make it through finals and our plan to be lit would be set into motion. On May 3rd, I saw you for what would be the last time. You were at Myers Desk, something was a little bit off, I knew because you were my best friend. In hindsight, I wish I had asked you more, dug a little deeper, but it’s too late now. We hugged, we laughed, we prayed, it was classic Bridg & Chris, but less than 36 hours later, my life would change forever. At 2:21 AM on May 5th you called me, Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I don’t really remember the conversation, but I know it ended with “I love you and see you on Sabbath.” I went to bed, and the next thing to wake me up was a call from Janae. I was asleep so I missed it, but after she called me back, I knew something was up. All I remember was her saying 3 words that I still have not come to terms with: “Bridg is gone.” I immediately started to tremble. My heart dropped to the soles of my shoes. This couldn’t be true. What did Janae mean by “gone?” I could hear the emotion in her voice, and I knew that something terrible had happened to you. Our best friend was gone, and I was at a loss for words. I didn’t know how, or why, or what to do. I was just in shock and I ran to tell my parents. It was the worst day of my life. We drove to your house and your parents were wailing, Our Church family was distraught. Some people were on the floor, some people were shaking, some people were looking off into space as if they were in a daze. I don’t exactly remember how I was. I just remember a lot of concerned adults coming up to me, Janae, Jessica, and Brittany. That night I slept in your bed, and I felt slightly comforted, but that comfort was soon met with sadness. I didn’t go to church that weekend or the next. The whole summer was a whirlwind of emotions that I cannot even begin to explain. The funeral was the hardest day of my life. I hope you knew how loved you were, and what an impact you made on everyone’s life. I’m sorry, I didn’t look at you, but I want to remember how you lived, and not how you died. I can’t believe I am writing this letter, and not FaceTiming you. I will never be the same without you. It’s almost like I was more OK at the beginning of the summer than at the end. As time went on, I felt like I was losing my mind. I still feel like I am in Denial, Anger, and Depression. Your absence has rocked my entire foundation and sometimes all I can do is cry out to God for comfort. I Sometimes look back at old pictures and videos and I laugh, but I soon realize that you’re gone, and I cry, I get upset. We should’ve had more time. I can still remember your laugh. I can still remember how you were always there for me on my worst days. I can still remember how we’d have sleepovers all year, but the most special would be one of our birthdays. I can still remember how you laid in my hospital bed for 2 weeks straight until the doctors said I could go home. I can still remember how you basically squeezed me to death with a hug when I told you I got into UGA. I can still remember how you helped me through my first year at UGA. I can still remember the last hug we shared. I can still remember how you would go out of your way to check on me and to extend an invitation to your apartment whenever I needed to get away. I can still and will always remember your smile. Your smile was brighter than the sun, and I’m just so sad that I’ll have to wait until God comes back to see it again. But our reunion is going to be something serious. I can’t wait to tell you all that we’ve done since you’ve been gone. I’m living and I'm shining for you. We were always talking about health, fitness, beauty, and self-worth. I am improving all of those things for you. I’ll miss the conversations we would have just boosting and being proud of one another. I’ve come such a long way with my goals because of your positive and encouraging words. I will continue to keep those words in my heart because they keep me going. I know that you are always with me, Always in my heart, always in my memories. Although it is very hard, and I have meltdowns every day when reality sets in, and I can’t focus in my classes, and my heart gets very heavy everytime I enter into Myers Hall, I know that you loved me. I know that you were so proud of me. I know that you know that I was so proud of you. Thank you for setting an example for me. 19 years old heading into your final year at UGA studying microbiology and Spanish with a pre-dentistry track? Simply amazing. Scoring above 90% of your peers on the DAT? I am still shook. Bridg, I love you so much. I’m so glad that God blessed me with you as a sister for the 10+ years we had together. Thank you for being my Day 1. Thank you for always supporting me and cheering me on. I can’t believe this has happened. I am sad. I am angry. I am trying to wrap my brain around this, but I can’t. Only God can heal, and I know that if I live like you did, I will see you again in Heaven.

I love you, I miss you, See you soon.

Signed, BabyChris (a name you & Jam gave me that I'll never forget)

(Christelle is on the left and Bridget is on the right)