I have a friend. I never knew her real name, or where she lived. I didn't know how old she was, or what race. None of that mattered. I've had fun with her for the past few months in several games. We would log on every day or so, vote on a game, and have fun for hours. She has had a terminal disease all of her life. She lived normally until the fifth grade when the symptoms started appearing. For a long time she lived in agony. Constant pain, with no relief in sight. She had read all she could, and was tired of the television, so she asked for a play-station. The small black box that arrived changed her life forever. She saw places she would never have known, she met people from around the world, and she had fun. In all of this she forgot about the pain. The pain that plagued her was lost when she entered cyberspace. It was like living again. Hearing her cheerful voice, throughout her difficult predicament always amazed me. How could one, so troubled and pained, sound so cheerful and full of life? I realized something then that has changed my life forever. I discovered, many things then. I learned that if i cant be happy, why not make others happy? I learned that every day without a smile, is a day wasted. I learned that she was stronger than me. Stronger than any of us. She died yesterday. She was playing a game with me and a few others. She had lost her family over the past few years to the same circumstances. she didn't want to die alone. We stood with her as her breathing faded. In that moment i realized that we were her family, and she was ours. The gaming world lost its brightest spark yesterday, and so i challenge you, the community, to do three things. 1. Answer me this: What is gaming? what does it mean to be a gamer? Deep down, what is gaming to you? 2. Pick up a game. Any game. Find somebody you don't know. And help them. Here in destiny, help someone in a raid, let someone join you for the trials, or just help a level one player learn their way around the tower. 3. Turn off your game. Go outside. And be thankful that you can. Be thankful for your everything. Spread this thanks to someone you don't know. Do this, and remember. edit: Many of you seem to think i'm lieing, however i'm afraid to inform you that i'm completely serious. As to those who ask why i didn't inform medical personnel, she was surrounded by doctors, and in a hospital. there was nothing they could do, and her last wish was to be with the only friends she knew. As to those posting rude and insensitive comments, i'd appreciate if you kept your opinions to yourself.