My friend Krista

I am and always will be very grateful to have had Krista in my life and as my friend. Always geniune, always happy, always smiling and always talking at warp speed. The difference in years between us never seemed to matter. She being 10 when I first met her on a pool deck and me being....well a few years older since I was her swim coach. All the coaches loved coaching Krista for the brief seconds she was swimming and could not speak or for the many, many imaginative ways she could come up with to get out of doing something she didn't want to do. Very creative young lady we had on our hands! But the talent was there and of course the "I love you" smile that melted even the coldest, hardest coach....of which I wasn't. She "had" me and she knew it. Over the years, the friendship grew, the entire Thompson family were close to our hearts. I retired, moved to North Carolina and this summer Krista called and said "Hey Lou-Ann, we're going to be spending a week at the Outer Banks and I looked at the map and you're only two inches from there....can you come?" My husband and I were in the car within 24 hours heading to the Outer Banks. Two inches was about six hours driving....but it was the best two inches I have ever driven because that's what friends do. I love this young lady....loved to watch her embrace life. Grief is overwhelming but I am so grateful to have had Krista in my life and I have so many wonderful memories of her that I will cherish forever. My love and prayers are with Steve, Kathy, Jason, Jeffrey and all of you reading about my friend, my swimmer, Krista.

-LouAnn