We Remember....

Lisa, Me, and Jan at Kathryn's wedding in December 2000.  This was the last time I saw Lisa.

I will never forget the morning of 9/11/01.  I had recently graduated college, was unemployed, and received a phone call from my parents at 6:30 in the morning.  "Turn on the TV".  I couldn't believe what I was seeing.  It seemed like it was a bad dream.  I rubbed my eyes, hoping that the picture would change.

I then heard that the plane that went into the second tower was from Boston to LAX.  I remember thinking to myself, "Okay, I only know 2 people in Boston, Lisa and Jan, and they would have graduated and been home by now."  

I got the phone call from Teresa at 10:30am.  "Lisa was on that plane."  My heart dropped.  We both started crying.  I was in disbelief.  I was glued to the television, waiting for confirmation of Lisa's flight number.  The news reporter was saying a bunch of different flight numbers, so I thought they were wrong.  It wasn't Lisa's plane.  "You're not saying her flight number consistently enough for me to believe you,"  I thought.

Then I started to see the list of names of the passengers on the screen.  And there it was.   

LISA ANN FROST, 22, Rancho Santa Margarita

This was real.  This was really happening.  My dear friend lost her life in a horrible act of terrorism.  She is a hero.

The days that followed were days of grief, sorrow, and remembrance.  There was a makeshift memorial at RSM lake with flowers, candles, etc.  I went every night to light a candle for my dear friend.  One night, as I pulled over to the side of the road, pushed my hazard button, I recognized the couple at the memorial.  It was Tom and Melanie Frost, Lisa's parents.  It had been 4 years since I had seen them.  But they recognized me.  We immediately embraced and started crying.  

Tom called me a couple of days later and asked me to visit.  I went over to their house, the house that I visited many times in high school.  The house where everybody met before carpooling to the beach for a bonfire on a Saturday night.  The house that suddenly seemed so empty without Lisa.

Tom gave me a button that he had made with Lisa's photo on it.  In Loving Memory of Lisa Frost.  Tom's neighbor had a button machine and he was making buttons to hand out.  I thought to myself, "what would Lisa do in this situation?"  She would be raising money for charity.  So I asked Tom to borrow the button machine.  I began making buttons, night after night.  During the day I would sell them in front of Pavillion's (Lisa's job in high school) for $1 and donated the money to the Red Cross.   Although we were only asking $1 per button, there was not a single person that donated less than $5.  We raised thousands for the Red Cross.  Yes, Lisa would be happy.

Lisa and I went to high school together.  We were in all of the same AP and honors classes.  We shared the same group of friends.  There were about 8 of us that were inseparable.  Our weekly routine was to go to the football games and then have a bonfire at Pico Beach in San Clemente.   Lisa lived for bonfires.  Lisa was the all-around girl-next-door.  She was intelligent (was salutorian in high school and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston University).  She was athletic. She was an amazing artist.  She was fun.  She was genuine.  She was beautiful.  She volunteered for every organization that was out there.  She was the person you wanted to be.  She was the person I wanted to be.

Some of my favorite memories with Lisa were laying out in my backyard, studying for the AP European History Exam.  Lisa had the most amazing notes, perfectly outlined and typed.  She quizzed both Jan and I, and helped me when I couldn't remember certain facts.  We worked at a soup kitchen in Orange and although it was hot and dirty, we managed to have so much fun.  We walked a charity walk for the March of Dimes.  Lisa was always giving back to the community.

I still keep in touch with Tom and Melanie quite often.  We share memories of Lisa.  I can't believe it's been 7 years. Seven years without my friend.  A lot has changed.  Friends have started careers, changed careers, gotten married, had babies, yet we all still remember and miss our "Frosty".  It sounds funny, but there will be certain times when I know she's with me, looking down and watching over me (Lisa loved angels - she had angel figurines, drawings, etc.) Lisa, there is no doubt in my mind that you are the most beautiful angel in heaven.  I miss you.

FLY HIGH FROSTY!!!