Most of the memory I have of the four of us sitting outside a restaurant in Milford when it was so cold we were shivering but we really connected it's that restaurant that day all four of us really enjoyed that time.
That memory comes back to me so many times.

A long time ago, Alexa and Samantha came into our lives. I never thought that, even when we were so young, we could be so happy.
We looked forward to every summer when they would both return to Veracruz, Mexico, to play, to laugh, and to share. Alexa was very noble and very fun-hearted since she was a little girl. She was very creative—just like me, she would imagine different ways to play with others, and she always helped people; from a very young age, she always held onto that ideal.
A huge part of my childhood was you, Alexa and Samantha, a friendship that endured through the years until we became adults.
You were always loyal, reliable, very intelligent, multifaceted, ingenious, full of magic, full of smiles, and full of comforting words.
I still remember when you taught me how to play "Mancala," when we played hide-and-seek at your aunt and uncle's house, when you would sleep over at our house and my mom always made us a delicious dinner, and we watched movies. When we went on walks and when we visited the Eyipantla Waterfall. I adored being with you both and wishing the day would never end. Since I was a child, I was able to understand you just as I know you understood me. My brothers Pepe, Jocelyne, my mom María, and I know that my dad (R.I.P.)—we all know that a great angel, a beautiful person, has left us. A wonderful sister, a wonderful daughter, granddaughter, and an incredible human being. She will shine from the heavens forever, guiding the steps of those she loves.
You were always an angel to everyone, and now you are in a place full of light. Rest in peace. We will always love you, Alexa.
Maldonado Family (Veracruz, Mexico)

We were close friends when she attended Shrine in Royal Oak. Her apartment was walking distance to the school so we would walk there after school and hangout. She always wanted to hangout and so did I! She was open minded and loved freely. We talked about everything under the sun and she confided a lot in me. When I turned 16 and got my license she is the first person I called. I went and picked her up and we drove around.
I remember we had to make a video on the protestant reformation for school and we got the assignment done but we goofed off and made it as silly as possible. (Including one scene where I gave birth to Alexa because we didn't have a real baby and when I pulled back the blanket to reveal her face, she said "Mama!")
Her Mom and sister Samantha opened up their home and heart to me in those years and I thought of them like family. I also met her Dad and Grandma up north and her grandma made us sloppy Joes which I love.
Even though she moved schools and we went separate ways I never forgot her and never could. We saw each other in passing in later years and our closeness was still there.
She is someone you never forget. When she visited Mexico she brought me back a really pretty clay jewelry dish, and I still have it to this day. I miss her so much, but I thank God for her time here, the life she had, and the impact she made on everyone she met.

When Alexa and I met just over 10 years ago, I didn’t have many girlfriends, and I remember how happy I was that she wanted to be my friend. Alexa had a beautiful dog named Jay, whom she absolutely adored. Her love for animals was something we immediately connected over, and I knew right away that she was someone I could trust. She had this special way of making you feel comfortable, even if you had only just met her.

One of my favorite memories with Alexa was watching the most beautiful vivid pink sunrise over Lake Michigan. We walked out to the beach that morning, and the entire sky looked like cotton candy. I had never seen anything like it before, and I haven’t seen anything quite like it since. It’s a memory I’ll always treasure and in fact that sunrise has been the background on my phone for the better part of the last 10 years.

We kept in touch over the years, although we hadn’t seen each other since our time in Detroit. At one point, we were both living in California, and she invited me to join her at a Black Lives Matter march. I wasn’t able to make it, but that invitation was such a reflection of who Alexa was. She cared deeply about others, had an enormous, pure heart, and was so clearly a reflection of all the love that surrounded her.

On Saturday, there was such a beautiful sharing of memories in her honor. I really enjoyed hearing everyone’s memories of her. I hope Alexa’s friends and family continue to share their stories, because I think that’s one of the most meaningful ways we keep someone’s memory alive. Alexa’s legacy will continue through the stories we tell, the love she shared, and all the little things that remind us of her.

For me, I know I’ll always think of Alexa when I see a pink sunrise, a Dalmatian, and now sunflowers. She will be dearly missed and forever in my heart.

May she rest in peace.