“Mica How I Remember Her” by Kyle Bratcher
Mica how I remember her…. (Kyle wrote this to speak at Mica’s Memorial Service)
Mica Breeden Martin, a true class act. Everything great about life rolled all into one person. There are thousands of memories each of us have and in those memories Mica is in quite a few of them. In every one that she is in, not a single one of them is a bad memory. All of them are good. That’s what you think about when it comes to Mica is that it was good, or inspiring, or that it was fun and it always brought you joy.
I have known Mica ever since I can remember. We went to the same pre-school and on up to graduation together. We were always in line next to one another in pictures and graduation. She will always be next to me. Mica was the centerpiece of our class. I only knew Mica through my school years and even though we were great friends I wished I’d had known her longer. I recall in Kindergarden that we were all learning who each other was, but we all knew who Mica was. She was that pretty, bouncy little girl that always smiled even if she didn‘t know you. 2nd Grade the boys all knew who she was but most of us, me being one, was too afraid to talk to her most of the time because we would be too shy and blush. She was the type of person that her beauty and character would light up the room, but it never went to her head.
There were people that didn’t have much and were not popular in school, but she would put all popularity aside and talk to you with a happy face. It would change the attitude of any individual and they would walk with their head held high for the rest of the year after that. By 7thgrade we started switching classes and you would tell your friends “Yea I am in so-and-so’s class and I have two classes with Mica in them.” She was just so beautiful, so popular, so kind-hearted, and yet very cool. Ethier way you were going to have a great time being around her.
By 9th grade I remember me and some friends would pick on her and Mariellen because they are smart and funny, but man o’ man they are so dingy (haha smile). It is amazing because we were in high school and you could tell that everyone years above us in school and years behind us would all look up to Mica. Who wouldn’t want her looks, who wouldn’t want her brains, who wouldn’t want her charm or her smile or her character and silliness. Under all that was her greatest asset, that was love. She loved all of us and was never afraid to show it. She would encourage you to do anything you set your mind to. It broke my heart, but in every year book she would express how much she truly loved me and wanted me to stay out of trouble. Wish I had listened to her more. I had a girl from South Carolina ask me on Facebook what happened to Mica. She said Mica was so sweet. She encouraged and pushed her to get through school. She did the same for me a lot of times during school and she never gave up on me nor anybody for that matter. If she was here today she would set aside her time or her plans to help you and see that you overcome any problems you are facing. That’s why we love her. She would want to see you all to do the same as she always did. It should never be a problem to set aside time to help another person out, even if it’s just to listen to them talk for 15 minutes. That is one lesson we all should learn from this tragedy.
My dear friend Mica set aside her own problems far too long so she could help others though. She never wanted to let the world see hers and over time she became overwhelmed with problems of her own. Hold no guilt people, because I know Mica and that it the LAST thing she would want any of us to do. Tonight we reflect on the good times we had with her and always keep her deep in our hearts. She is no longer suffering the overwhelming pressure anymore. I know it’s hard to look at it that way but it is true. She was in pain, and now she is free. She was so greatly loved by so many and touched many lives. She taught people to be non-judgmental and how to love. So let’s not judge her, but love and respect her as we always have. Help her by lifting everyone’s spirits and put smiles on their faces like she did for us. Share her personality with everyone we meet and help her live on in our hearts. We have grieved for the past week over her loss, but I will go home tonight with a smile on my face, because that’s what she always left me, was with a smile.
I am so blessed and I am honored to have been known such a great human being. Mica was simply amazing. God blessed us to have created her… Now brighten the angels as you have brightened humans on Earth.
Rest In Peace Mica, Fly High baby-girl. I love you!
Kyle Bratcher
Please consider donating $31 in Honor of what would have been Mica’s 31st Birthday (Dec. 15) to our efforts to raise awareness of Suicide Prevention & Promote Animal Adoptions! http://www.cfmt.org/give/teammica/
