Remembering Savanna

From 2009 – 2026. From Fort McMurray, Alberta, Savanna brought an unmistakable spark, deep laughter, and unstoppable energy into every single day. She was cherished endlessly, and above everything else, she was loved every day of her life. The following special words are that of her big brother Marcus:

For those who don’t know me, I’m Savanna’s brother. And honestly, I don’t really know how you’re supposed to stand up here and find the right words to say goodbye to your sister. Savanna was one of those people who was just genuinely kind. Everyone who knew her seems to have a story about how nice she was, and I think that says a lot about the kind of person she was. She had a way of making people feel comfortable just by being around them. She loved being outside. She loved skiing, biking, and especially snowboarding. She loved being able to get out there, have fun, and just enjoy life. And I think that’s something I’ll always remember about her, the way she could just be happy doing the things she loved. But more than anything, she loved her friends and the people around her. They could make her laugh, and I’m sure she made them laugh just as much. And if you knew Savanna, you probably heard her call you “dude” or “bro” at least a hundred times. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever hear those words the same way again. I’ll miss a lot of things about Savanna. I’ll miss talking to her. I’ll miss seeing her around. I’ll miss knowing that she’s there, even if we weren’t doing anything together. Sometimes you don’t realize how much someone’s presence means to you until they’re suddenly not there anymore. I wish I could go back and appreciate all those ordinary moments a little more. The moments that didn’t seem important at the time, but now I’d give anything to have one more of them. I’m angry that she was taken from us so young. I’m heartbroken that she had to fight the battle she did. And while I wish with everything I could have changed the outcome, I’m proud of the way she fought. But I don’t want leukemia to be what defines Savanna. I want to remember my sister for who she was before all of this. The kind person. The girl who loved snowboarding, skiing, and biking. The friend who loved laughing with the people she cared about. The sister who was simply there. Savanna, I hope wherever you are, everything is good. I hope there’s snow wherever you are. I hope you’re out there snowboarding without a care in the world. And I hope you’re surrounded by the same kind of happiness and love that you gave to everyone around you. I don’t know what comes after this, and I don’t know if there’s ever a right way to say goodbye. So I’ll just say this: I love you, dude. I’m going to miss you more than I can put into words. Until we meet again

Marcus starts his tribute at 00:36:00