My best friend, Rhiannon Scott, 14 years old, passed away from a brain hemorrhage this summer. Rhiannon, who was born and raised in Farmingdale, was very important to her friends, family and community. She had a personality and smile that could light up the earth. She was a close friend. She had parents who cared and loved her every day. They still love her and she will forever be in their hearts.

No one could possibly understand why this happened. She was admitted into the hospital quickly. Her doctors did a craniotomy to relieve pressure on the brain. All over social media (Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter) her friends posted pictures of her and shared their prayers for Rhiannon. She was important and loved by her softball team. There is no “I” in team, so her softball teammates were all in it together and hoping for the best.

We became close when we were 11. Then I moved out of Farmingdale during my elementary school years. I always kept in contact with Rhiannon.

It came to the point where she could not fight anymore. She had reached the end of her battle. She was loved and idolized by so many people in her short life it is hard to believe.

The day Rhiannon passed was the weekend of her softball team’s tournament. When everyone heard the heartbreaking news they were shocked and shattered. I felt completely broken. Although this was the hardest time for her teammates they came together to win the championship for Rhiannon. They all wore her number that Sunday, 44, and played for her. Her number remains in our hearts forever.

“On July 13 her brain showed no activity and she was pronounced brain dead,” said Donna Scott, Rhiannon’s mother. “The family made the decision that she would have wanted, which was to become a donor for others.”

Rhiannon wanted other human beings to keep living even though she couldn’t. Rhiannon Scott saved five lives and helped three others get their eyesight.

Rhiannon was a normal girl, living her normal teenage life. All of her friends and family wanted to keep her name and memory alive so the community created a memorial softball tournament. The tournament took place at different fields all over Farmingdale. All of these fields are where Rhiannon played over the course of her softball journey.

Her friends pushed to make the world know about the foundation and how significant it is for Rhiannon and they achieved their goal, made it happen and it had an appearance on News 12. They made a fund me website where they raised over $35,000 for her family’s funds. The website is: https://www.gofundme.com/2dk6r2c

Hopefully Rhiannon’s story will make an impact on the Wantagh community as much as it has in Farmingdale. Number 44 you will be forever missed.