I met Tina before I can remember. Us at the end of a three cul de sac street and the Prices across from the second. My parents say they first knew of her when kids were bringing around a get well soon card to sign. Once able to play outside on my own I quickly befriended the middle Price sister, Lindsey, she was in a dress and covered in dirt, we’ve all been together ever since.
Tina was the eldest sister not only to Lindsey, Chelsea and Mark, but to me and she was the worst. Naturally beautiful, effortlessly cool, and hilarious. She went through high school with a giant plastic back brace and made all the girls wish they had one too. She was a popular hot pom girl that listened to Rage Against the Machine and fiercely defended those that needed it most. You couldn’t put her in a box, figuratively of course, because literally you definitely could, she was bitty. Which also allowed her to borrow my child size clothing when she was a teen.
Not only was her skin flawless and her hair always amazing, but Tina was also funny and weird, in the grossest and most inappropriate ways. It didn’t take knowing her long for you to find that out… and to love it. Nothing was embarrassing to Tina. She lived fearlessly and when you were with her you could too. Singing crash test dummies at karaoke, dancing with or often without music, whipping that leg around, lips tucked in, arms flailing. If you were with her you were laughing, you were having fun and you gave zero f’s about what anyone else thought. Even if it was just hanging out in a basement pushing back cuticles making up dumb sayings that would live on forever – Tina was the queen of creating core memories and inside jokes.
Medical nonsense was nothing new to Tina, she was tough as shit, overcoming many obstacles that came her way. She spent the last three years being an absolute warrior while continuing to care for others and live joyfully. Galavanting on the beaches of Turks and Caicos living that island life, being an awesome mama, doting on her nephews, screaming at Taylor Swift with her girls and cuddling her 100s of pups.
Unabashedly affectionate and loving, you knew if you were lucky enough to be in her orbit. She knew you intimately, listened to you, cared for you and made you feel seen. Tina and I’s time together ebbed and flowed for 35 years, from big sister to teenage dirtbags, from years of spending every day together at work and every night after hanging out to watching her become a mom and then her watching me do the same. As life shifted the visits became less and were replaced with lots of texts and endless funny video shares. Regardless of where we were, we loved each other fiercely and never missed the big things. And she made sure I didn’t miss this.
My monkey, my dob, my lub. I promise to honor you forever by saying dumb nonsensical shit, being a patient and kind mama, finding joy, dancing wildly, and using kindness to get what I want – the Tina way.