Liz & Mailbox Peak

Mailbox Peak, For Liz.

“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.”

Liz Daley and I were never close friends. Most of our interactions were telling jokes to one another at work and making plans to perhaps rock climb together one day. From the day I met Liz, I was in awe of her passion for life and her drive to follow her dreams. She was one of those people that you really wanted to be in the presence of. She always had her big smile on her face and her laugh was unforgettable.  Her confidence was something I wished I could have. I watched Liz's dreams come true via social media and was incredible proud that she was able to do everything that she ever wanted to do. But in September, my heart broke when I heard about her tragic death. Liz died in an avalanche doing what she loved. 

Here is the thing, Liz has never really left any of us, she was a powerhouse. Liz left a piece of herself with every single person she encountered.  Although, her journey on Earth has ended, she still impacts so many people. 

For so many years, I have wanted to get into climbing, but never thought I could do it.  I had enough of my excuses on why I could not do it, and decided I could. Liz has been a huge motivator for me. She was someone who never let anyone's opinion sway her or change how she felt about her dreams. At the end of the day, she believed in herself and that was good enough.  I decided January 1, 2015, that I needed to take control of my life and follow my dreams.  Every step of the way, I have found inspiration in who Liz was. Whenever I feel like giving up on myself or thinking that I may not be able to do it, I remember how strong of an individual she was. This drives me. 

Sure, my climbing resume is still in the process, and I do not have any grand accomplishments yet. But I know I can do it, and I hope that I can just be half the person she was. Every single day that I get to go out and live my adventure, I am grateful and positive for my experience. 

After reading about Mailbox Peak, I decided that I wanted to pay tribute to the incredible human being that Liz Daley was. It is only a small tribute to a larger than life person, but I felt that I owed this to her. For the inspiration that she continues to give me. It took the old trail up, because I knew that the challenge would make this moment even better. Now, a little piece of Liz can be seen at the top and I know a lot of people who have been impacted by her will appreciate it. 

My plan is to continue to climb, with Adams, St Helens, Shasta, and Rainier in my near future--it would not seem right not to dedicate my triumphs to Ms. Liz Daley.  You can bet that when I reach the top of Mount Rainier, I will be doing it with my "Live Like Liz" sticker on my helmet and I will think about how much she has taught me, even in death.

Liz, you were one of the raddest chicks I ever met. Thank you for teaching me that life truly is beautiful and that every moment should be savored with reverence. I'll see you on the other side, until the next great adventure.

https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/rkp7/the-live-like-liz-daley-fund?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fb_share_share&utm_campaign=dashboard_overview_T1&fb_action_ids=10101234690941510&fb_action_types=og.shares