Hi, many of you would know me as Jay. I met Desta when I was about 15 in high school. We were introduced by a mutual friend who knew we would hit it off bc we were the only girls he knew who favoured the word "dude." Our first "dude"s were exchanged, and it was friendship love from then on.

As some of you may know, Desta passed away suddenly on New Year's day in the early hours of the morning. The cause of death is still yet to be released. After the passing of her mother, Janice, Desta had relocated down to the states, where she was originally from, but she kept in touch with many of her friends up in Ontario, and those of us who were close know that she wanted nothing more than to come back home. She had even gotten an "oh, Canada" tattoo before her passing. Her father died when she was young, and she had no siblings, aunts, or uncles.

With no next of kin it has fallen on her friends to pay for her cremation and for her to be shipped up to Ontario with her mother's ashes where they can both finally be put to rest.

Desta was soft and loving, but also the ultimate badass, who connected deeply with almost everyone she met. Above all, in my opinion, she was brave. Always unabashedly sensitive, but still willing to go forth in the world on her own despite not knowing what to expect. We will all miss your understated giggle that you attached to the beginning of many of your sentences.

I know that the measure of this loss is indescribable for many of us.

If there are any funds left over after her cremation costs have been paid, they will go towards renting out a space for a casual memorial service in Stratford, Ontario, where we will all raise a glass to the one and only Desta. She was loved by so many.