Kate Ottum

I've been marinating over what to say about Julie Fucking Mancini for weeks. I still don't know if I'll get it right, and I think I need to write about how she made me feel. Julie was one of the nearest and dearest to my Mom and Dad since their early 20s. I've never lived in a world that didn't include her. Some of my most vivid childhood memories are at the Mancini house, and the best way I can describe it is she was just family.

I always looked forward to seeing her face, hearing her voice and her hilarious way. I thought her swearing was "so cool" when I was younger. And then as the years went on, she was there for me in ways that I can never repay. She did the things Julie does such as meet me when I asked about career advice, as she did for so many people and helped them along the way. But she also made pivotal change in my immediate family's life. She protected me at a point when I needed it most. She said, "This has been enough for you to handle, and I'm taking over from here." I'll never forget it. Especially in that moment, she was my mother figure when I had lost mine many years ago.

Her laugh was infectious, her spirit forever kind (and honest in the best way). I feel like no words can describe what she truly meant to me. Julie, I love you. I wish I could have hugged you one more time. But I'm so thankful our last text interaction a few months ago ended with us both saying, "I love you."