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Madison Sandner

Prof. White

English 1101

13 September 2021

Role Model

I have always looked up to my sister in every way possible. She has always

inspired me to be the best version of myself and pushed me to be a better person. My

sister’s name is Molly and she is my role model in every aspect of the word. I wanted to

be just like her; independent, brave, and strong-minded. My sister is six years older than

me, so she was almost like a second mom. The thought of living without her simply

ruined me. I was in fourth grade when my sister got sick. I thought it was just a stomach

bug and she would get over it soon. I didn’t know how wrong I was and how much I

wished I could’ve been right. The last day I saw her she asked me to help her, but I

didn’t. I said, “Molly, you’re fine. Get up and get it yourself.” Those words I said still

haunt me to this day.

The next day my mom came home earlier than usual. I had just got home from

school, and when she walked through the door, I knew something was wrong. She sat

me down and had tears in her eyes. My stomach automatically dropped. After she

started talking, my ears started ringing and my heart felt like it was being physically torn.

The only words I managed to hear were, “Maddie, Molly is in the hospital. She passed

out in school and was taken to the emergency room.” I couldn’t form a reaction. I only

felt guilt, like it was my fault. I was thinking about the last conversation we had, knowing
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that if I never saw her again, the last moment we shared was a bad one. It was a fight,

and it made me sick to my stomach.

I remember asking so many questions. I wanted to know what was wrong with

her and how bad this really was. My mom told me that my sister had appendicitis.

“Maddie, Molly was in a lot of pain, but we didn’t know how serious it was until she

fainted at school. We took her to the emergency room and she will have to stay there for

a while.” I was so scared of losing my best friend. I cried that whole day. I couldn’t eat or

sleep. I didn’t even touch my homework. During this whole time, I missed exactly 4 tests

and I had up to 36 missing assignments. At the time I didn’t even care. I found out new

information as the day went on, eavesdropping on my parent’s conversations. I found

out her appendix had burst and this was dangerous because that could lead to an

infection. They had to get her into surgery as soon as possible. I was so overcome with

emotions that it was hard for me to function throughout the coming days. I was mortified

that I wouldn’t see her again and her last memory of me would be a bad one.

The next day was her surgery. I had to go to school, but that was pointless

because I wasn’t paying attention anyway. I felt empty yet again. Nothing I was learning

stayed in my brain. I felt like I was failing as a student and a sister. My teachers tried

talking to me, but it was pointless because I simply wouldn’t listen. After school, I waited

anxiously for someone to pick me up and take me to the hospital. My house didn’t feel

like a home when Molly wasn’t there. It made it feel like a haunted place with old

memories. On the drive to the hospital, I couldn’t focus on anything. I was supposed to

be doing homework, but I was so emotionally drained. My skin had lost its color and my

personality lost its spark. The person I was before was gone without her. I never knew
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one person could affect you that much. We got to the hospital eventually, and the scent

of the hospital just gave me the worst feeling deep in my heart. I started to panic and all

I wanted was my sister.

I felt like my heart almost exploded when the doctors said her surgery was

successful. They got everything out, but that wasn’t the end of the battle. She had to

keep fighting in the recovery stage, but my sister is no quitter. I still remember when

she woke up vividly. I apologized for the way I treated her, and I told her how much I

missed her. She forgave me and said that we would try our best not to fight because

you never know when the last conversation will be. After that, I could physically feel the

weight being lifted off of my shoulders. I was just so happy to have my sister and best

friend back. I told her about my school work, and she was very disappointed. She told

me, “You can never let yourself go like that. Your future is so big, and your education is

the most important thing right now. Never lose sight of your responsibilities.” She was

one of the wisest people I know, and she sat with me while she recovered and helped

me finish all 36 missing assignments.

To this day, we still keep our promise to each other. We still get into fights, but

we try to express our feelings better to make sure we both truly know how the other

person feels. My sister just graduated college and we still talk every day. This

experience in my life was so important to me because it taught me to always help others

and to always choose kindness. This has influenced me and my lifestyle so much, and

my sister believes the same. The fear of losing my big sister, role model, and best friend

really put me through a tough time, but my sister and I both came out of it stronger and
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more grateful for everything in life. She made me the student, daughter, and person I

am today, and I will be forever grateful.