Taylor Storch died in a skiing accident in 2010. Now, 15 years later, her friends are including her in their wedding days in a very special way.
COPPELL, Texas — Scrapbook pages filled with photos tell the story of a 13-year-old girl who was deeply loved and had countless friends. Those same pages now serve as a testament to an enduring friendship that continues 15 years after Taylor Storch’s death.
Taylor died in a skiing accident during a family vacation to Colorado in 2010. Her mother, Tara Storch, recalls the devastating moment that changed their family forever.
“We went on vacation as a family of five and came home as a family of four,” Tara said.
The tragedy left not only the Storch family grieving, but also Taylor’s many young friends.
“A lot of those girls became like family to us,” Tara said.
Those friendships, combined with the family’s strong faith, helped them find joy again after the loss.
A graduation tribute
In 2014, when Taylor would have graduated from high school, her friends found a meaningful way to honor her memory. They sewed blue hearts embroidered with her name into their graduation gowns.
The tribute didn’t end with graduation. As Taylor’s friends entered their late 20s and began getting married, they carefully removed those blue hearts from their graduation gowns and sewed them into their wedding dresses.
“It’s so special to me to see how these girls have carried her with them because…Taylor won’t have a wedding,” Tara said.
Something blue, something beautiful
Taylor became each of her friends’ “something blue” — a cherished wedding tradition that took on profound meaning.
“She was just a really great friend,” said one of the women who honored Taylor at her wedding.
All six women, who now live across the country, have found ways to carry Taylor with them on their wedding days, either sewn into their gowns or attached to their bouquets.
“She was just such a special person,” another friend said. “Her legacy just means a lot to me and all of us.”
The friends say they simply wanted to remember Taylor and honor her legacy.
“It was awesome, the color happened to be blue, it was a no-brainer,” one bride said. “She would have been up there with us.”
“I know that she was probably watching all of us get married,” another friend added.
A parent’s blessing
For the Storch family and siblings, seeing how Taylor’s friends continue to include her in their lives has been a source of comfort and joy.
“To know that she’s still part of their lives in such a sweet and special way and that she’s not forgotten, for a parent who lost a child,” Tara said. “I don’t really have the words to express how much it means.”
The bond between these friends has endured through the years. They lost Taylor when she was 13, still love her at 28, and will undoubtedly carry her with them forever.
It’s something blue — and something beautiful — that keeps Taylor’s memory alive in the hearts of those who knew her best.
“I think she’d be blown away and would feel so loved,” Tara said.