A wish worth remembering

People always ask me what it was like having a twin. The truth is, I never knew life any other way. From the very beginning, it was always me and Jahmya. My mom tells us that I was born first, and just two minutes later, my twin sister arrived. Those two minutes changed everything. While I got to go with my family, Jahmya had to fight from the moment she entered the world. She was born with a complex heart condition, and before we could even start life together, she was already surrounded by doctors and machines. Growing up, hospitals were just part of our life. I didn’t think it was strange because it was all I ever knew. Sometimes we celebrated birthdays at home, and sometimes we celebrated around hospital visits. I watched my sister go through surgeries, therapies, and doctor’s appointments that no kid should ever have to face. But if you knew Jahmya, you know she was never just her diagnosis. She loved to laugh. She had her own personality. She was stubborn sometimes, funny a lot of the time, and stronger than anyone gave her credit for. One of my favorite memories was when we went to Disney through Make-A-Wish in 2016. To most people, it was just a Disney vacation. To us, it was magic. For the entire week, we weren’t thinking about hospital rooms or surgeries. We were just kids. We met characters, rode rides, laughed together, and made memories that I’ll carry forever. I remember seeing my sister smile in a way that made everything else disappear. Watching her happy made all of us happy. Looking back now, I realize how special that trip really was. I didn’t know then how precious those moments would become. Being Jahmya’s twin brother taught me things most people my age may never understand. She showed me what courage looks like. She taught me to appreciate the little things and never take time with the people you love for granted. I miss her every day. There are moments when I wish I could tell her about school, laugh at something funny together, or celebrate another birthday side by side like we always should have. She’ll always be my twin. Nothing can change that. People may remember Jahmya for the battles she fought, but I’ll always remember her as my sister. My built-in best friend. The girl who came into this world just two minutes after me and left footprints on my heart that will never fade. No matter where life takes me, I’ll always carry a piece of her with me. Because that’s what twins do.