Kobi,
I've always been proud of you. From the very beginning. When someone would say, "Are you Kobi Walden's sister?" I would smile big and reply, "Yes." You were a good person from the beginning of your life. You helped neighbors, friends, and always, me. You were smart. You were in the gifted program at school, a talented percussionist, quiz bowl, academic teams, honors society, you name it, you did it. You were amazing, at anything and everything you did. You made me proud in your adulthood, going through promotions and salaries at your job with ease, being an amazing Uncle, friend, and more. I never thought it was possible though, for you to make me proud even though you weren't on this side of things, and yet, you do.
You made me proud in the immediate aftermath of your murder, for the outpouring of love and support, that spoke immensely to your character.
I was proud when I was going through your things. I found little trinkets from the years of our lives together. Things I made you when we were small that you kept for years. Things that the girls made you. Tickets from concerts we attended together. Movie ticket stubs. Pennies from years of going to the zoo together. You cherished our relationship and put your family first always. I was proud to see your heart in these trinkets and souvenirs.
As devastating as it was, I was even proud when I read your autopsy report. You fought hard to stay here with us. And even though I knew better, people online and even people surrounding your case insinuated that we might want to prepare ourselves for information we might not have known. And yet again, you made me proud to read that just like I knew, you had no drugs or alcohol in your system what so ever. That was never who you were.
And today, like many of the times the Roller Derby Community has honored you, I was damn proud to be your sister. 2 and 1/2 years later, and people still think you are worth mentioning, they think you are worth remembering. If you had been a different person, lesser of a person than who you were, I don't believe that would be the case. But look at all these people who respect your memory, and honor you regularly. It speaks volumes about who you were when you were alive, and I couldn't be more proud to be your sister.
I love you Kobi Lee Walden. I miss you immensely.
Always and forever,
Your little sister
