For Belinda, who walked beside me with honesty, tenderness, and light.

Some people come into our lives quietly and leave an imprint that never fades. Belinda Gramonte was one of those people.

We met through a shared journey of stage IV breast cancer, one none of us would choose, yet one that brought us into trusting friendship. Across miles, oceans, and time zones, we walked alongside one another with honesty, tenderness, and a commitment to finding light, even on the hardest days.

As I was writing RISE, Belinda was one of the voices who walked with me. Our daily check-ins became a place of truth. There was no need to show strength or offer reassurance. We showed up as we were, two women living alongside uncertainty, choosing connection over isolation.

Belinda had a way of seeing the world that continually reminded me to stay human, to lose my teacher voice, and to remain vulnerable. She challenged me to think beyond my own surroundings, to consider those living without access to nature’s comforts, and to remember that resilience does not always look like rising, but often looks like resting, trusting, and loving.

What I will carry forward is not the loss, but the gift. The gift of being seen. The gift of shared courage. The gift of friendship that knew no borders.

Though Belinda no longer walks beside me in the way she once did, her presence remains. In the work I do to live life over cancer. In the words I write. In the way I continue to seek pockets of light and love.

May her journey now be free of pain, fear, and struggle. May she be held in peace, and may her light continue to watch over all who loved her.

God speed, dear Belinda.