I was very lucky to have a mom who was not only an amazing role model, mentor and mother, she was an awesome friend. In the year before she passed, I was able to work with her and get to spend a great deal of time with her. She taught me the importance of hard work and following my dreams, although she never really got why I wanted to be a writer. Still, it was the drive that she instilled in me that moved me to pursue what I wanted. I hope I have been all of these things to my very best friend, my daughter Samantha.