This is the thing no one prepares you for in life. It's a nightmare you never wake up from; you just need to get used to it.

 
We have been through so much together - from childhood adventures to adulthood milestones. When I changed, you accepted me for who I was.
 
Elementary to high school, going to the same soccer matches, basketball teams, summer camps, and poker games.
We spent years making up any possible game to bet over; we were not competing but challenging each other.
 
We have been through ups and downs; when we were 16, I remember that time you drove me to school on your motorcycle. A car crashed into us, and the motorcycle was totaled, but we came out of it together, alive.
 
We traveled the world together. We went to Cyprus, Egypt, Thailand, coast to coast of the United States, and Hawaii.
 
We have shared many social circles. You attended my brother's and my sister's weddings.
 
You were the biggest fan of my relationship with Ariella. Your approval was another reflection of what is right for me in life. You always made an effort to make her feel comfortable, and she always told me how much of a special friend you are.
 
Thank you for being such a fantastic friend and always being there for me. Even when we were not living in the same country, you always showed up.
 
Your ability to act systematically and program every piece of your life has enabled you to take on challenges that would have taken anyone else more than a lifetime.
 
You accomplished in 32 years what would take most people 100 years.
 
Your loyalty is beyond anything I've ever seen. You were an example of a true friend.
 
You have been a part of my life for 28 unforgettable years, as long as I have known how to speak Hebrew, and as long as I remember myself.
 
One lesson I learned from you, don't say anything bad about anyone -- no one will say anything about you
 
Luckily, you were a strong and confident person who did not seek anyone's approval or attention, and yet you have become a national hero.
Your way of life and legacy tells me that you don't want us to dive into a depression and feel sorry for what happened – you would like us to learn and push forward in life.
 
Thank you, Dov