My Hero.

"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others."

~Audrey Hepburn

Karen gave me this quote shortly after Chelsea's funeral. It hung on the mirror in her bedroom and now hangs on my mirror. Every time I read this I am reminded of Chelsea. Not only because it was something she read everyday but because it is everything that Chelsea was. She truly lived her life by this quote. Chelsea was always looking out for others and never thought of herself. It didn't matter to Chelsea how people looked on the outside, it was what was on the inside that mattered.

Chelsea was my family's babysitter when my parents went out of town. Although I was very young when she stayed at our house, I remember her perfectly. I remember her taking me to shop-n-go to get frozen yogurt. Irish mint and chocolate were her favorite. I remember her letting my sisters and I stay up late to hang out with her and all of her friends. I remember dancing around the kitchen while making brownies. My memories of her aren't very clear and I don't have too many but my memory of Chelsea and who she was is perfect. She had such an impact on my life even though I was only 6 or 7 year old at the time.

Chelsea had a light that was contagious. When you were around her you couldn't help but smile. I always felt like the most important person in the world when she talked to me. She had friends from all walks of life and was always expanding her social circle. Chelsea was who I strived to be like when I was younger, I wanted to grow up to be just like her. She was my greatest role model and still is. I have grown up with the influence of Chelsea in my life, I miss her all of the time. I hope that I have become and continue to be a person that Chelsea would be proud of.

Carli Schneider

Miss Congeniality

Graduating seniors (from left to right): Camille Nelson, April Bott, Kim Lambert, Sue Kincaid, Chelsea Hale, Sarah Farney, Rachel Barker, Anne Kimball

Chelsea Hale was one of a kind. To her, there were no “kinds,” only friends whom she individually recognized and loved despite their differences and shortcomings. At a young age, when teenagers typically worry about their looks, popularity, and own self-interests, Chelsea displayed wisdom beyond her years in perspective, maturity, and knowledge. She was the friend parents hope their children would befriend; she influenced many by her genuine friendship she offered to all.

I recall when Chelsea first moved to the neighborhood during elementary school. Her congeniality, sense of fun, and kindness made her a great friend to have around. I have many fond memories making funny little infomercials and videos (I wish I had them somewhere!) with Chelsea and another neighborhood friend, Kim Lambert. Chels brought creativity to any situation.

I remember Chelsea the most for remembering others. I will never forget when it was time for all of us graduating seniors to give a talk in church. Chelsea had a proclivity for speaking and writing in such a way that I still remember her words today. She addressed each leader and peer by name and expressed gratitude for what she had learned from them throughout the years. Chelsea taught me an important lesson that day. Life is about the relationships we instill and remember; there is something to be gleaned by each unique individual.

Thank you for your example and reminder of the finest things in life that indeed, last for an eternity.

Miss and love you Chelsea dear!

Camille Nelson

Kiss

I am not known for being emotionally open with very many people, so being friends with Chelsea was like therapy for me. Up until I became close friends with Chelsea I had never had a friend who was also a girl. I remember when we were just beginning to be very close, one night we ended up being alone on the tan couch in the Hales basement. I don’t remember what we were talking about, but it occurred to me that this was the first time that I had been in a situation like that in my life…where I was unsupervised with a young lady, whom I was not trying to make out with. I remember feeling totally comfortable in the moment, and then I remember out of nowhere Chelsea leaning over and kissing me on the mouth. The whole idea of having a girl as a friend could have been compromised at that moment, but it wasn’t. Chelsea’s kiss was immediately recognized for what it was, a sign of affection from a close friend. Everyone else that I knew had stopped the practice of kissing their pals at about age five, or six, but not Chelsea. I admire the courage she had to always do and say what she was feeling, and the love and friendship that she shared with me that night is what I miss about Chelsea the most.

Chelsea never bought into the adolescent idea that you have to try to grow up as fast as you can. She showed affection like a child. I loved running into her unexpectedly and seeing her face light up the way my son’s does (sometimes anyway) when I’ve been away. There was pure honesty in her eyes that made me feel so loved. Chelsea is remembered for being kind, smart, a free spirit, a wonderful friend and many more things. I admire all of those qualities as well, but what I remember most is how she made me feel whenever I was lucky enough to be near her. Chelsea Hale is one of my best friends and I absolutely love her, and I am so grateful for her smile and embrace that showed that she absolutely loved me too.

Jared Mann

A Great Pioneer

I shouldn't share my memory because it mostly entailed me falling madly in love with her on our stake pioneer trek when we were 15, 16 or so. She drove me absolutely crazy for the first half of the trip, and then crazy in love the second half. We danced, talked, laughed, and then she volunteered to cut the head off the chicken... creepy and super attractive. Prettiest smile ever. Anyway, that is how I met Chelsea and I have considered her a good friend ever since. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences, they've brought back great memories of Chelsea (especially the picture from the pioneer trek!).
Jason Pratt

a sister of sorts.

Chelsea became my surrogate older sister the first time she babysat me and my sisters. I must have been 7 or 8 at the time, but I knew immediately that there was no one else like her and I was right. She was the greatest. Whenever my parents were leaving town it meant Chelsea was coming over and I couldn't wait. She would make every day fun. We would watch movies, make brownies, play games, have crepes for breakfast, have slumber parties with Hannah and Sam, and go on adventures around the city. I admired her in every way. I wanted to dress like her, act like her, smile like her, and do the things she did. I vowed that when I grew up I was going to be someone Chelsea would be proud of. She was perfect. She still is.

When Chelsea went to London that fall before she passed away my family missed her so much. I remember one day I was home alone and she called. We didn't talk for very long, but she wanted me to tell everyone hi, that she missed us, and loved us, and would see us soon. I was so amazed that she just went and lived in London that I decided that I would do that one day too. If Chelsea was doing it then it had to be a must.

Last fall I did just that. I went to London. I lived where she lived, walked the streets that she walked, and thought of her every day. I could feel her presence in 27 Palace Court, and realized that she was my Guardian Angel over there. When my parents came to visit we were sitting in the classroom and my mom and I just started to cry because we could feel her there. She was so close and as my mom hugged me I know Chels was hugging me too. London was such a special time for me because it was something I wanted to do ever since Chelsea did it. It was an experience I'll never forget and I have her to thank for that.

The week before Chelsea passed away she was babysitting my family and spent her 20th birthday at my house. I will always cherish that week. I remember her friends coming by all day, us making cupcakes, and even putting on a show for her with my friends to the Lion King soundtrack. I can still see her in sweats, a sweatshirt, two buns in her hair, barefoot, waking me up for school. I can see her vacuuming while singing "Twist and Shout". I can see her laughing and smiling and hugging everyone like they were the most important person to her in the world. I was only 11 at the time, but ten years later I am still trying every day to live up the person she was.

Chelsea still plays a part in my life in everything. I love the Hale family so much and consider them family too. Ali spent countless times babysitting us too and I look up to her so much. Hannah and Sam became some of my best friends in high school and still are to this day. Karen is someone I have learned so much from and I know if I ever need advice to talk to her. London was Chelsea and I'm so grateful for that. The year after she died my parents gave my sisters and me a framed picture of her. Each of us have it in our rooms and I know they, like me look at it every day and remember how incredible she was. We love her and consider ourselves so blessed to have been part of her life so closely for those few years.

Chels, I miss you every day and I love you. I can't wait to see you again!

xoxo

Love,

Kacey Schneider

Mafia

It is hard to choose a memory about the person that has affected my life more profoundly than any other human being. Up until sophmore year in Highschool Chelsea was the quiet girl that I would see over at Emily Cook's every once in a while but she was always a little shy. Then we had semenary together and I spent most of the class goofing off with her rather than listening to Brother Masters. I realized really fast that Chelsea was a lot of fun to play around with but I had no idea that I would be spending the majority of my time with her over the next 3 years. One random Sunday evening my Junior year in Highschool Scott, Jared and I decided to show up unannounced to the Hale home. Up until this point we were friends with Chelsea at school but had never really been over to her house. We went inside and met the family, it just so happened that they were right in the middle of an intense game of mafia. I had never played mafia before but they invited us to play with them. Jon was probably a little disturbed that we interrupted their family time but he would get used to it and the rest of the family welcomed us with open arms. I still remember Hannah yelling at me that she knew that I was the mafia and I remember thinking that I don't even know how to play this game. That night was the beginning of a friendship that I cherish very dearly. I love the Hale family.
Not a day has passed in the past ten years that I have not thought about Chelsea. She made me want to be a better person in everyway possible. I remember during our first year of college we had been going to the U for about a week, the campus seemed huge and I often times felt lost. Then one day I was walking to my class and I see in the distance this beautiful girl with a huge smile. It was the first time we had run in to each other on campus. We gave each other a big hug and laughed for a few moments. It was like we hadn't seen each other in years even though we were probably together the night before. I can still see Chelsea's face that day in my mind. Much like the reunion we had on campus that day I look forward to another reunion with Chelsea. I love her and I miss her.
Rex
p.s. I would post some pictures but this is my first time blogging and I don't really know what I am doing.

[Erika White, Alli Stewart, Sarah Farney, Emily Jardine, Emily Cook, Taryn Apgood, Jessica Reeder, Chantel Richards, Jessica Hadfield, Whitney Holbrook, Rachel Barker, Alli Hale, Jessica Marrow, Whitney Johnson, Chelsea, Angela Gottschall]

I was pretty unsure of myself in High school, I suppose this is not unique – but parts of high school were fairly painful due to this fact. As I watched Chelsea through this time I wished I could move through those times with as much grace and maturity as she. I would suspect that if we were to ask Chelsea how she felt she faired those 4 years she may not agree, but to the world around her she shown with a love that so many of us were not so confident to share.

I have struggled to think of any particularly poignant memories of Chelsea, I was not a close friend having many social interactions outside of school, but I did have seminary with Chels our senior year. We shared many conversations during that period and my admiration for this young woman grew. We talked about our busy lives keeping up with the exciting social obligations that came with being a senior, Chelsea as our class president. I remember so well her telling me about the exciting trip she would be taking to Africa to render service the upcoming summer – something of this nature had never crossed my mind! I recall thinking how absolutely awesome she was to do such a thing – and from there she set a standard for new goals and needed accomplishments for me.

I remember feeling so excited and flattered when invited to Chelsea’s house during the Christmas season our freshman year of college, to gather with some of our girl friends from high school. Chelsea and others had arranged an opportunity to render service. Again, at a time when life felt so overwhelming, figuring out how to be an adult, Chelsea was setting an example of what comes first, and again for me this became an example of something that should become a regular part of life.

When I saw Karen at Chelsea’s viewing, heart broken all I could say through my emotion was, “she was so nice to me”. Such a simple phrase and even adolescent, but something I cannot begin to express through limiting words what it meant to me. At a time where kindness and sincerity seemed a thing so impossible to receive from others at times, Chelsea was sure to show her kindness, acceptance, and love. She warmed my heart and made me feel comfortable in an uncomfortable time. It did not go unappreciated Chelsea.

Love,

Jessica Hadfield

PS - just had a thought of Chelsea in Pep-club, started to laugh. Chelsea you gave those marches the best you had and no one can say your heart wasn't in it. ;)