2026 – Braxton Madsen – Mountain height academy HS

Losing My Best Friend, Finding My Strength

During COVID, my life changed forever. I lost my sister, Kenzie—my best friend. She wasn’t just someone I grew up with; she was the person who understood me without words. She was part of my everyday life, the one I laughed with, talked to, and leaned on. Losing her during a time when the world already felt isolated made the grief feel even heavier and more lonely.

When Kenzie died, it felt like the ground beneath me disappeared. The world kept moving forward, but mine felt frozen. School continued, expectations stayed the same, and life didn’t slow down to let me process what I was going through. Grief followed me everywhere. It showed up as exhaustion, lack of focus, and a constant emotional weight I didn’t know how to explain. Some days, I was just trying to survive.

School has always been important to me. I earned honor roll throughout junior high and have maintained high honors in high school. I also challenged myself by taking college-level courses while still in high school. After losing Kenzie, keeping that level of motivation became one of the hardest things I’ve ever faced. Concentrating took more effort, and there were days when completing assignments felt overwhelming. Still, I kept pushing forward, even when it was hard, because I didn’t want grief to take away my future too.

Sports became one of the places where I found strength. I played on the high school basketball team during my sophomore, junior, and senior years, and I also participated in high school soccer. Being on the court and the field gave me an outlet for emotions I didn’t always have words for. Sports taught me discipline, resilience, and how to keep going when things hurt. Being part of a team reminded me that I wasn’t alone, even when I felt broken inside.

What helped me keep going was learning to take life one day at a time. I leaned on routine, my family, and my teammates. I learned that strength doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay—it means continuing even when it isn’t. Losing my best friend forced me to grow up faster than I expected, but it also taught me perseverance, empathy, and the importance of showing up, even on the hardest days.

Kenzie changed me forever. Her absence is something I carry with me every day, but so is the love and strength she gave me. I honor her by continuing to work hard, by not giving up, and by choosing to move forward even when life feels overwhelming.

I share my story because I know there are other students who are quietly grieving and trying to succeed while carrying pain no one else can see. If you are one of them, you are not alone. It is possible to hurt deeply and still move forward. My experiences have shaped who I am today and continue to guide me as I finish high school and prepare for my future.