I sometimes hardly remember her figure. Most days I’m left to a single picture that was taken out of fear, and the thought of never seeing her again. She simply blew me away with her petite figure and gracefulness. It’s only now that I hear the stories of who she once was. A woman, of only 4 feet 10 inches, standing in front of a prisoner, teaching him the things fundamental in life. Hazel Tisdale was a teacher, an inspiration, and most of all a sweet woman with a huge heart. She was so much more than her physical appearance. She was a fighter ready for anything that doubted her. I had all the faith in the world that she could beat her one true enemy, cancer, because when it came to Hazel she had no enemies. She brought happiness and love to those around her and everyone smiled at the sight of her. In her final moments, she was surrounded by love, family, and her sister, Gayle. It saddens me as I begin to speak of her fight, only to conclude it with her passing on, but it was never considered a defeat. In my eyes, Hazel was a true champion, warrior, and fighting spirit that would never give up. The loss of Hazel led me to see what really mattered in life. The will to continue to fight even when things got tough. She used to say to me “Fight the good fight,” and from that moment on I have continued to fight for a future of happiness. I have worked harder in school to be able to transfer to a school of my liking. I have fought to be a better athlete in Rugby so that I can continue playing on the collegiate level. I continue to strive and push to do the things that would make her proud, because she always believed in a life of happiness. She was never without a smile on her face, even during her last moments. I want to continue to fight for the will and strength to do the things in life that will bring smiles and laughter to my face. It’s all because of Hazel that I will continue to fight for a life full of passion, courage, love, and most importantly happiness.