Maria

My good friend Albee’s younger sister Maria was in a terrible car accident last week in Montana. Terrible terrible. Like things I can’t even type because I’ll get upset at my desk terrible.

Albee is one of my favorite people, and was a wonderful roommate, so I feel sort of sisterly towards her. Maria stayed with us for awhile before getting settled in school in Long Island, so I feel little-sisterly towards her. I absolutely adore Maria. Just being in the same room with her is constant entertainment. She’s one of my very favorite friends’ younger siblings, and if you know me, you know how much I like friends’ siblings.

Any way I could try to describe Maria Dalbotten would sound cliche, but she truly is a ball of energy, a force of nature, vivacious and a whirlwind—all of those ways they describe characters in books, only this girl is the real deal. Anyone who’s met her can vouch for me here. She is a beautiful, kind, wickedly funny and big-hearted girl, and the thought of her in the ICU and unable to talk chokes me up whenever I think about it—I’m sure in part because I’ve been in that worried big sister situation myself too many times before.

But I know from those past situations with my brother that the human body is an amazingly resilient thing, and that having your loved ones rally around you and give you hope is the most important thing you can have. So, if you’re the sort of person to think good thoughts or say prayers, please think or say one for Maria Dalbotten.

Her family has set up a blog to keep people updated about her condition, if you’re interested.