Kristen (left) with her mom and baby cousin

Kristen, class of 2011
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

On May 18th, 2006, my life changed forever. That was the day that my beloved Mom and my very best friend took her own life after a long battle with bipolar disorder. I was 16 years old and was just finishing up my junior year of high school. I was incredibly fortunate to have the unwavering support of my wonderful friends and family, and I spent my senior year keeping busy with college applications and the other minutiae associated with the final year of high school. I was in a good place and was looking forward to going to my dream school, UNC-Chapel Hill. However, I didn’t anticipate just how difficult this transition would be.

I went from a relatively small high school where everyone knew about my Mom’s death, to a huge school where nobody knew; I felt very alone. I remember feeling the twinge of sadness on move-in day as all the other Moms helped their kids move into the dorms. I remember trying to tactfully navigate the questions; What do your parents do? Is your Mom and Dad coming up for “Parents weekend”? But above all those, I remember the day I found out about Students of AMF. I found about AMF from a close friend of mine who also lost her Mom. We decided that AMF sounded like something we wanted to bring back to Carolina. There had previously been a chapter, but it went dormant when the leadership graduated. Not long after finding out about AMF, we were holding meetings; that is when I truly fell in love with Students of AMF.

I have met some of the most incredible people in my life through AMF, and I have formed lifelong friendships. It is so powerful to have a group of other students that I know understand what I’m going through; they understand those days where everything you see reminds you of your loved one, they understand how hard holidays, birthdays and anniversaries can be, and they understand those times when you really just need a hug. Students of AMF has been there for all those moments, and for that, I am so grateful.

As I prepare to graduate from Carolina and start the next chapter of my life, I am reminded of just how much Students of AMF has impacted my life in a positive way. The last words spoken by David Fajgenbaum’s Mom, Anne Marie, resonate deeply; “Unconditional Love.” Those two simple words so perfectly describe what AMF has meant to me.