Join Memories to request access to contribute your cherished photos, videos, and stories to Sarah's memorial with others who loved them.
Join MemoriesJoin Memories to request access to contribute your cherished photos, videos, and stories to Sarah's memorial with others who loved them.
Join MemoriesI don’t know how to put into words something that feels impossible to accept. Sarah wasn’t just one of my closest friends. She was my family. My rock. My law school soulmate. We were in the same section in 1L and bonded almost immediately. We took every doctrinal class together, chose many of the same electives, and joined many of the same activities. We did everything together. Every late-night study session, every cold call survived, every victory and setback—she was there. When I tell people I loved law school, what I really mean is that I loved every moment with Sarah. Sarah didn’t stop being that person after law school. She celebrated me for every time I achieved something, no matter how small. She supported me through life decisions, moments of doubt, and figuring out what truly mattered. She listened with so much care and made everything clearer. On my wedding day, she delivered a speech as my bridesmaid that moved me to tears. I remember looking at her that day, thinking how lucky I was to have her in my life, how she would be there for all the moments still to come. Sarah lifted everyone around her, not because she had to, but because that’s just who she was. She was also one of the most hardworking, ambitious people I’ve ever known. She never did anything halfway—she threw herself fully into everything she pursued and held herself to the highest standard. But she balanced that ambition and intensity with an unwavering kindness and selflessness. She always had time for everyone around her—no matter how much was on her plate—to listen, to encourage, to be your rock, and to remind you of who you were when you forgot. She deserved a lifetime of joy, of love, of everything she ever dreamed of. And though she was taken from us too soon, she filled every moment she had with purpose, with a goodness so rare and so deep that it will never fade.
Sarah, you made me better. May your memory be a blessing.
My first memory of Sarah was years before I actually knew her. In 5th grade, I broke my arm and graded papers for another 5th grade teacher instead of attending gym class. After the first week of grading, I remember thinking that every student in our grade should give up hope of being valedictorian since I knew that Sarah Best would earn it because she was THE best (spoiler alert- I was 100% right). I could often use her paper as the answer sheet because it was almost always perfect. Fast forward to high school, and she quickly became one of my best friends. We spent hours together studying for tests, competing at Junior Classical League competitions, and both being either the president or vice president of National Honor Society and Beta Club. She was the Supreme Being to my Celestial Leader (nerdy nicknames we came up with to match our initials). When I learned that she became a teacher after college, it didn’t surprise me because she had been practicing for years with not just me but everyone around her. She always had the patience to explain something to you and never made you feel dumb for not understanding it, even though she often understood it immediately. She was easily one of the brightest and most creative people I have ever met, while also being one of the humblest and kindest. Even though we lost touch after high school, I am devastated at the loss of such an amazing person who made both me and everyone else around her a better person.
My heart goes out to Sarah’s family and loved ones during this difficult time. I got to know Sarah while she was a student at Vanderbilt and from the moment we met it was clear how special she was— kind, brilliant, and hardworking. Her belief in me as a teacher and friend transformed my life, and I’ll be forever grateful for the example she set as someone deeply committed to serving her community and making the world a better place. May her memory be a blessing.
Sarah is one of the most brilliant, yet most kind and genuine people I have ever met. She was there for me during the gloomiest days of my life, and reminded me of my worth when I considered myself the worst failure by all worldly standards. Some days I regretted going to law school, but the thought would fade when I realize that I would not have gotten to know Sarah otherwise. As a diehard Disney fan, I once asked what Sarah’s favorite Disney movie was, and she told me it was Zootopia. Sarah was like Judy Hopps in so many ways. Courageous, resilient, intelligent, yet gentle and caring, working so hard to make the world a better place. I love you, Sarah, and I’m forever thankful for you. You have made the world a better place by being here.
Sarah introduced herself during a seminar I went to at Penn law school. I had just started my PhD that semester, the fall of 2019. I didn't have any friends in Philadelphia yet, and she took me under her wing. We started meeting up for coffee to talk about our personal lives and society. I was so impressed and intimidated by her, but l was really honored that she wanted to be my friend. I was going through a bad break up at the time, and she listened without judgement or hesitation. When I was feeling really down, she took me to a candle and wine stored where we made candles and talked. When the COVID pandemic hit, we decided to do 10 push ups every day to stay sane. We would send each other videos of ourselves doing the 10 push ups to "prove it". I'm still working on finding those videos. We stopped talking as much as lockdown extended into the summer, and when she graduated we lost touch. I would have loved to reconnect with her and in my heart I like to think she'll always be my friend. Being brave is something that Sarah did naturally and without hesitation. I hope to step outside my comfort zone and do something brave in her honor. Love and comfort to her family, I know she cared for you all so much.