“I have lost my cousin, my best friend, my secret keeper and my role model,” said Simpson.

Whether anyone acknowledge it or not, most of people fear death and fear the death of our loved ones. Death is handled in a million different ways and it is normal to cry, brush it off and smile.

Senior Kiana Simpson has experienced, along with many others, the hurt of suicide. Simpson’s cousin Brant Crowder took his own life on September 25, 2012.

“My life has changed in a million different ways due to Brant’s death. I feel as if I have no will power to do anything. I did not want to believe my cousin was gone, but no matter where he is, he will always be my bubba,” said Simpson.

Simpson said to cope with the death of her older cousin she sleeps with a t-shirt he wore quite often.

“The smell of his cologne brings me comfort,” said Simpson.

With Brant, sometimes people would describe him as your basic guy. A grease monkey and a sports fan. Brant could always found working on his “baby,” his 1998 Mustang.

“Brant would always come inside cover in grease from head to toe from working on his car,” said Simpson.

Brant was involved in sports as a teenager. He played many sports

“Brant’s favorite sport was football. He played in high school and it was such an honor when I got Brant’s jersey after he passed,” said Simpson.

Brant had a girlfriend at the time of his death. Lacey Kirkman, a former student here at PHS, was dating Brant.

“He was such a fun loving spirit; I miss him,” said Kirkman.

Brant planned on going to school in Indianapolis for mechanics.

The family never understood why Brant took his life.

“My auntie Sus said Brant would stay with her a lot more often than ever and she noticed that he would pace, stay up late, and was frequently asking random questions on different topics,” said Simpson. “I would only go to my aunt’s house about once a week and on the weekends after band competitions but I never noticed a change in Brant’s attitude due to not seeing him a lot.”

Brant provided a lot of security to Simpson

“Brant was always a helpful cousin to me. He helped with guy troubles and school,” said Simpson.

Simpson remembers back to when she was advancing into high school.

“I was talking to Brant and was asking a million questions at a hundred miles per hour! He stopped me mid-sentence and said deep breaths, in and out and one step at a time,” said Simpson.

Brant helped Simpson out a lot with schooling when she was on the edge.

“I always took Brant’s advice and would take one step at a time and would worries about my studies,” said Simpson.

After Brant’s death, things became hard with Simpson and her family to cope with.

“I felt beyond lost,” said Simpson. “I do not handle death very well.”

Brant was a very important to Simpson. Brant has always been there for Simpson at her worst.

“Eventually, I got over Brant’s death. No, I did not forget about him, I just stopped crying and tried to remember nothing but good memories,” said Simpson. “I always live to his motto and plan to get it tattooed on me with white doves and the saying ‘The Sky Is the Limit’.”

Story by Morgan and Brooklyn Dotts