Transcriber: Denise RQ Reviewer: Elisabeth Buffard
Compassion.
What does that mean to you?
How can we live it in our daily lives?
Please take a minute to think about that while I share my story with you.
My dad's name was Emery Donelson.
He passed away when I was eight years old.
It was a Monday, in November.
I still remember my Mum greeting me and my older brother at the bus stop.
I approached the house,
wondering why there were so many extra cars in the driveway.
I didn't realize how much my life was about to change.
To this day, it is still really difficult for me
to watch kids playing with their dads.
It reminds me how much I miss him.
I remember that whenever my dad...
whenever I would get an A on a test, my dad would dance with me.
He was a horrible dancer, but I loved it.
(Laughter)
It is the everyday activities like that
that are the little things that seem so big now he is gone.
Now that I'm a teenager,
I don't have him to play the over-productive dad role
that most teenage girls get when they start going on dates.
I never got the chance to be daddy's little girl.
After my dad passed away, my mum took me to this camp.
I didn't know what to think about it.
All I knew was it was a camp for kids just like me.
Kids, who had lost a family member.
The camp was called Comfort Zone.
I believe that Comfort Zone saved me.
I loved Comfort Zone so much
that as soon as I was old enough to become a Junior Counselor,
or as we call it JC, I did it.
I will never forget the first time I was a JC.
I worked with the 7 and 8 year olds.
When I got home that weekend,
I realized that I was exactly their age when I learned of my dad's passing.
It was amazing to see how much they grew in the short time that they were there.
And it was special to me that I got to give back what I was given.
One important thing that we do at Comfort Zone is pin exchange.
We give a pin to someone who we believe
has done something really amazing or gone outside their comfort zone.
For some, it is sharing their story.
For others, it is being a leader in their group.
In my time at Comfort Zone,
I have earned pins for things like being lifted
because I'm afraid of heights
and for comforting someone who was really struggling with their loss.
One time, I gave a pin to a little girl
who had been shy all weekend and now wanted to share her story.
On the last day, she took me aside
and told me all about how her dad passed away.
It was amazing.
She gave me a pin for listening.
That is what Comfort Zone teaches: compassion.
When I was in fifth grade,
we had new neighbors moving next door.
They had a daughter who was my age. She was energetic and crazy.
Her name was Cameron Gallagher.
Little did I know that we would become best friends.
At first, Cameron and I were just normal friends.
We did things together, but we also got on each other's nerves.
A lot!
(Laughter)
As Cameron and I grew up, our friendship grew stronger.
All throughout our friendship, Cameron dealt with insecurities and feelings
that she couldn't always control.
Cameron was dealing with teenage depression.
It wasn't always easy being Cameron's friend.
In fact, it was really difficult sometimes.
Sometimes, the things that Cameron told me scared me.
I didn't always know what to say to Cameron, but I always listened.
I always made sure she knew how much I loved her.
One day, when Cameron's parents weren't home,
Cameron was having a really hard time.
I was really scared for her.
I ran to her house, picked her up, and took her out.
We got lunch and went to the park.
After that, we came back to my house and studied for an English test that,
if I'm being completely honest, both of us did miserably on,
because who can study with their friends?
We were too busy giggling and not actually studying the entire time.
Later that night, my mum told me that I was a really good friend,
but I don't think I did anything special,
because I believe that that is what friends should do for each other.
A good friendship is based on kindness and compassion.
Later that week, Cameron came to me with a crazy idea.
She wanted me to help her hold a 5K [race] to raise awareness for teenage depression.
She wanted to call it the "Speak Up 5K".
It was easier to tell that Cameron was passionate about the subject.
Of course I agreed to help her.
Cameron had compassion for people who were dealing with the same issue she was.
That was a week before Cameron died.
On March 16th 2014,
Cameron and I woke up bright and early to run our first half marathon.
That was the last thing that we did together.
Around mile 12, Cameron was really struggling to keep running.
We took a stretch break, and she looked at me and said, "Let's finish this."
And that's what we did.
Cameron and I finished our half marathon together.
After we hugged, we were walking away with our arms around each other,
and Cameron collapsed.
She died that day.
For a long time, I blamed myself for Cameron's death.
I said things like, "I should have stopped her."
But then I realized that I was just being there for her
like I had on that really hard day.
I was helping Cameron through her last big struggle.
In the hospital, her mum, who I call Mamma Grace,
told me that Cameron had said to her the week before
that I was her very best friend because I was the only one
that knew everything about Cameron and still loved her unconditionally.
I will always share spending Cameron's last day with her.
After Cameron died, there was an overwhelming response
from the public to run her race.
People had compassion for Cameron and her struggles.
I immediately decided that I was going to finish what Cameron started.
Cameron's family, many wonderful volunteers and I
put on a beautiful 5K to honor Cameron and her last wish.
Just look at that.
3,000 people came out to run Cameron's race.
3,000 people came out and helped us raise
over $150,000 for teenager depression.
That's Cameron's family and me looking over that huge crowd.
We were blown away.
When promo started for the 5K, Mamma Grace started telling people
that the most important thing is to be nice to people.
That speaks volumes to my message of compassion.
Show compassion to people that you don't understand.
I learned that to the death of my dad and Comfort Zone.
I realized that people might not always understand why I was upset.
It was also enforced through my friendship with Cameron.
People weren't always nice to Cameron
because they didn't understand her illness.
But I feel I helped make that difference, as I kept Cameron going every day.
I showed compassion to Cameron and her struggles.
Comfort Zone will continue to show compassion
to people who are struggling with the loss of their family member,
and the Speak Up 5K will continue to show compassion
for those struggling with teenage depression.
But what can you do?
Compassion is defined as a feeling
of wanting to help those who are struggling.
I feel I have made a difference to kids at Comfort Zone and Cameron
by showing compassion to them and their struggles.
Now, I challenge you to show compassion
to people who you believe are having a hard time.
Show compassion to people that you know.
I challenge you to speak up for those who are down.
Now, take a minute to think.
How can you make a difference in someone's life?
Who can you show compassion to?
Thank you.
(Applause)