For as long as they’ve been alive, Katherine Aupperlee (11) and her older brother Andrew Aupperlee (‘24) have been each other’s best friends. Even as far back as first grade, there was something different about them. While many brothers tussled over toys and sisters yelled and fought, Kate and Drew would sit peacefully talking and playing with one another.

But now, as Kate looks across the hallway, Drew’s room sits empty. Although he left for Michigan Tech months ago, his absence still feels unnatural.

“Sometimes I look for him to tell him something funny or whatever, and then I realize he’s 500 miles away,” Aupperlee said.

Drew was ingrained into her life in ways she never realized until he left. When their Quality Dairy trips for chocolate-covered cinnamon rolls and daily debriefs after school came to an end, it became impossible not to notice he was gone.

“We used to do all sorts of things together and now I have to get used to the fact that he won’t be here,” Aupperlee said. “It’s like that period of our life is over. We can’t ever really have that again.”

Kate once read a statistic that said by the time you’ve turned 18 and graduated high school, 90 percent of the time that you will spend with your family in your lifetime is over. While initially this sounded crazy to her, she realized that it’s probably a reality in her future.

“I can’t imagine a life without Drew,” Aupperlee said. “Ever since I was sentient, he’s been there. For that to suddenly change is so weird to me. I haven’t existed without Drew, and now I have to.”

Adjusting to her new life has been difficult, but Kate has found comfort in relying on her parents to help her navigate this shift. 

“I think it’s brought us closer,” Aupperlee said. “Having people that are going through the same things as you and experiencing it right alongside you is really helpful.”

Although this change feels sudden and scary, Aupperlee also can’t help but feel some sort of excitement looking forward to when she too will leave. 

“It’s one of those inevitabilities that you don’t enjoy in the moment, but you know long term, it’s gonna be good,” Aupperlee said. “I understand this is good for him. And it’s gonna be good for me too. I know I’m going to love college. I know I’m going to love being independent. Right now it’s just hard- because I just- I miss him.”