Jessica Lopez Rojas 10.14.1991-6.26.2010
The day I got the news that my close friend Jessica Lopez had passed away will be permanently burned into my memory for the rest of my life. We were actually filming an interview with a police officer for our piece on Soccer and Crime when I got the devastating phone call from my mom.
At first I didn't believe it, I kept saying "What? What?" as if I couldn't hear her because I just couldn't make sense of what she was telling me -- I mean I had always been surrounded by death, alot of my friends have lost close friends and family members and I've seen a lot of people suffer but I never thought it would hit me in the face at such a young age. It's almost hard to believe, so shocking, and hurts deeply to see someone so dear to you die so soon - just barely eighteen.
Jessica Lopez was born on October 14, 1991 and raised in Los Angeles. She was the princess of the family being the only daughter in a house with two other brothers. Her family was from Guatemala and they were very united and loving.
Jessica had always been different and unique on so many different levels. For as long as I can remember she had been charismatic and outgoing -- even as a little girl. She was always a risk taker and when I was too shy to talk to someone, she would go up to them and start a conversation. We grew up together, we met at our church when I was eight and I had watched her grow as a person. She was very loving -- and a ride or die friend. She was always there for me and was very wise for a girl that was just a year older than me.
I have so many memories with this wild girl. As young thirteen year olds we used to be the troublemakers and there was a point where people just couldn't stand us being together! We would always sleep over at each other's houses and bust all nighters just talking about boys and school. We were both drama queens too so there were times when she hated my guts and I hated hers. As we grew into our teenage years, we grew apart compared to how inseparable we used to be but we always kept it cool.
One of the best memories I have with Jessica is when we snuck out of our cabins when we went to a boys and girls camp in 2006. All of our youth leaders were already asleep and we texted some boys we had met on the bus at two in the morning. We had made plans to meet up and just hang out and talk. We climbed up to the tiny bathroom window in our cute pajamas by standing on top of the toilet and clambered out. We met the guys at the little park and hung out and talked for an hour or so before we headed back. As we walked in the front door, our camp leaders woke up! We got into so much trouble but we just couldn't help but not care. We would always remind each other of the time we snuck out at camp and just laugh and giggle.
When she graduated high school and went to CSUN, she began to give me advice about going to college myself and I realized how grown up we had become. What I admired about her was that she was so independent and driven in school. She always told me she wanted to be a pediatrician and I know if her life wasn't cut short she would have accomplished it.
I know she was very well loved because at her viewing there were more than 600 people. I cry because it's hard to accept how someone so beautiful and loving can be taken away in an instant (Jessica died in a car accident) but I know she's in a better place. Jessica will always live in my heart and I will be sucessful in school in her memory.
Written by Sussete Nuñez
Become a Global Girl
