Colleen Rumer

Sumbitted by Rachelle of Imlay City

School Imlay City High School

April 15th, 2009, the worst day of my life. I walked through the hallways at school knowing that my best friend died that morning. My eyes were red, puffy, and raining, and school was the last place I wanted to be. Having all my other peers and teachers ignore my pain and tears, hurt. Badly. But when I went to my 3rd hour biology class, that all changed. Walking my way up from the stairs from doing a pointless fire-drill, Ms. Rumer pulled me aside, and asked why I was crying. I told her about the death of my best friend Jessika, and she grabbed me in her arms, holding me in her gentle embrace. I told her about her car accident, and spending my whole spring break in the hospital with her. She sat with me, and talked to me about heaven, and motivated me to keep trying in life, when I just wanted to give up the most. She told me to come see her if I ever needed anything, and that was the kindest move anyone could have made at the time. I had nobody, I was lost in this black abyss called life, and the only one there for me was Ms. Rumer.
The next week, we had a lady come in to talk about HIV/AIDS, which she said was the number one killer of teens, which lead into the number two reason why most teens die each year; Car accidents. I thought I could make it through the lecture, but when the lady said that she worked at a hospital near by and said she had a young girl, 14, named Jessika Marie Bannon, that had just passed last week due to severe brain swelling, I bolted out of the room. I went to the bathroom, crying my eyes out the whole way there. One of my friends were sent out to help me, then of course, I was visited by Ms.Rumer, who then helped me with my pain, and got me through it, then we went back to class, and everything was okay. To be 100% honest, without Ms.Rumer being there for me at that critical time in my life, who knows if I'd even be here today.
Later on that year, Ms.Rumer was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She was often absent from school, and no one knew what was going on. When I found out the news I cried. She was about to explain to the class why she has been gone, and before she could, I made sure that I told her I loved her. When she responded with " I love you too", suddenly all my worries vanished. The calmness in her voice told me that everything would be ok. She then proceeded to tell us that she had been cured of her cancer, and we were all ecstatic, giving her hugs and telling her how strong she was.
Now, Ms.Rumer is a very active member in the Relay For Life Cancer society. She volunteers every year and is extremely involved, and motivates other teens in our school to get involved too.
Ms.Rumer may not know how she has changed my life, but she has, and she's been the most influential person on me, thus far in this journey of life.