I was very lucky to have met Kristy and become her roommate and friend while she spent a year overseas in Whistler.
She had such a warm and beautiful heart, soul and smile. We both worked at Whistler Blackcomb and would spend our days off snowboarding on the hill or going an hiking adventures - anything that had to do with the outdoors. Kristy had such a zest for life and truly seized every moment!
Kristy had such a passion for people, life and made everyone she met feel welcome and accepted. She truly was one in a million and I have never forgotten her. While there are so many fond memories, I have to share one of the funniest stories. In the summer before she was taking off to go on her next adventure, she had wanted to do a triathlon and was swimming , running and biking to train. She had no idea how she was going to get to the race destination (it was about 3-4 hours from Whistler) but she had signed up and was determined to go, so within a week or so of the race, she convinced myself and her friend Shannon to enter and have a girls weekend. We managed to find someone's yard to camp in as the campgrounds were all full. So we packed up my Honda civic with us 3, 3 bikes, all our gear, and camping necessities, and the road trip began. Oh and on the way, we had to buy swim goggles - minor detail.
The road trip and the whole weekend was such a blast, and to top it off both Kristy and I placed 5th in our age categories - we made the local paper and even got a medal!
I kept in touch with Kristy after she left and made it to Scotland to see her as I had taken a one year off to go on a backpacking trip by myself. We took a few days and rode our bikes around the Orkneys and Skara Brae and saw so much beautiful landscape, history and met some wonderful people. She really loved Scotland and I could tell she had found her "home". I always tell people that my trip to Scotland was one of my top 5 favorite places that I went to over the course of my year - and Kristy had a lot to do with that.
Even though we lost touch over the years, I have never forgotten her kindness, her heart and her love for people and the outdoors. The world has lost one beautiful human being. A true friend is never truly gone. Their spirit lives on in the memories of those who loved them."