I was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa for the first time in December 2007 when I was admitted to Ridgeview Treatment Center. I fought my eating disorder with all I had at the time, but due to insurance was forced to leave treatment, still struggling with accepting myself. When I was released from outpatient therapy in January 2008 life went back to the way it was before, eating disorder and all. I slipped farther and farther into my eating disorder, trying to keep it my little secret, but my friend Tanya knew I was slipping, and made a daring move—she went to my counselor at school and told her about my relapse. At this point, I was able to tell everyone I was fine and they believed me, so without Tanya I would have slipped further into my eating disorder until it took my life. Tanya saw the pain I was in and reached out to save my life, because she saw how close to death I was.

            After Tanya informed my counselor, my mom and nutritionist were informed and I was immediately sent to the doctor where blood tests were done. After my blood was drawn, I stood up and immediately passed out. This happened two more times and the final time I was carried out of the doctor's office.  When my lab results came back the doctors told me my thyroid stopped working and I had hypothyroidism, a disease I would take medication for the rest of my life. I also had little to no clotting factors left, had scattered electrolyte numbers, and my liver was beginning to stop working. My mom and nutritionist at the time readmitted me to Ridgeview the next week, where it was determined I was 35 pounds underweight. I was just a small step away from death, and if I had continued going the way I was, I would have died within the next month. Tanya's moment of bravery, the moment she decided to put my life above our friendship, was the moment my life was saved, but Tanya's bravery was not over yet.

             While at Ridgeview I continued to act out on my eating disorder,  thinking my insurance would let me go again. I tried to tell Tanya that I was doing everything I was supposed to be doing, but being my best friend, she knew I was lying. She may not know it now, but the way she said she supported me and loved me no matter what is what made me confess to acting out on my eating disorder. Even though I confessed and was put under extreme watch, I continued acting out on my eating disorder in the little ways I could, knowing my insurance would run out, but then my insurance surprised me. Instead of making me leave Ridgeview and go home, my insurance sent me to a long-term treatment center in Florida, The Renfrew Center.

            Now I was another state away, far away from family and my friend Tanya, but Tanya still impacted me. I remember every day, whenever I was struggling, I would pick up the phone and immediately dial her number. Whether it was to tell me to pick my head up and keep going, to encourage me to push beyond my comfort zone, or just to listen, Tanya was always there for me. All of the help she had given me helped me reach what I thought would be the end of my recovery, but I was so wrong. There was something I had been holding back from my parents, teachers, and recovery team and Tanya knew exactly what it was and gave me the courage to tell—I had an abusive boyfriend.

            I had been with Chris for 5 months before the fateful conversation between me and Tanya came and she convinced me to break up with him and tell my team what had happened. The first few months were amazing, but Tanya had realized that Chris seemed overprotective and controlling, which I saw as signs of love. Soon I began to develop bruising on my arms, stomach, and thighs, but just told everyone  I was clumsy. Tanya seemed to follow along as everyone else did, but then Chris came to her house to hang out and she saw first hand where, or actually who, the bruises had come from—the man I said I loved was causing me pain. Tanya tried for awhile to talk me into breaking up with him, but by the time she figured out I was in an abusive relationship I was a few days away from going to Ridgeview.

            Tanya was there, nonetheless, and on that night when I called her, eyes full of tears and fear in my voice, she encouraged me to end the relationship. From 600 miles away, Tanya made me feel as if there was someone standing by my side, someone patient enough to deal with my excuses and courageous enough to tell me to push on anyway. I told her I couldn't break up with him on my own, that I needed someone there, and from 600 miles away she was that someone. She stayed on the phone as I dialed Chris' number and ended our relationship and she continued her support as I broke down and cried for an hour afterwards. As I battled to overcome depression and night horrors from breaking up with Chris, Tanya stuck by my side. A month later, my hard work and her persistence paid off as I came back home to Georgia to continue my recovery.

            Here I am, almost 3 years later, still in recovery from anorexia nervosa and still holding on to my friend Tanya. She sacrificed so much to help me recover: our friendship that I almost ended when she reported my relapse, countless hours of sleep listening to me cry at night, friendships with others who spread rumors about me when I was gone, and time for herself, which she instead spent being my counselor and friend. We are going to the same college next year and I know that no matter what happens, I have a true friend in Tanya. She did more than help me, she saved my life. Thanks to her, I am able to go into the Honors college at UGA this fall, travel to Nova Scotia for an expedition this summer, and live a life with my newfound Savior Jesus Christ for eternity.