'Death happens, but life will go on' - more about me and the context of my life

We are interested in learning more about you and the context in which you have grown up, formed your aspirations and accomplished your academic successes. Please describe the factors and challenges that have most shaped your personal life and aspirations. How have these factors caused you to grow? (800 word limit) *

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My essay:

I walked gradually down the long hallways of my elementary school as if someone loaded my book bags with bricks. Every step felt like a step closer to the devastating truth I was so desperate to abandon. My chest felt heavy and I could not speak. I looked down at the ground trying my hardest to not make contact with anyone near me. Eye contact meant seeing the tears and agony of everyone. Although we all knew what happened no one dared to breath a word of it. What I will always remember as my moment of weakness is that one millisecond I did manage to look up. The first person I saw was Ms.Sheppard, my teacher. As much as I tried I could not look away from her gaze. "What's wrong honey", she said with bloodshot eyes of her own. "Fred", I managed to choke out as I collapsed into her arms.

A day before our school graduation I learned of Fred's death. He was taken by the unpredictable waters of Lake Erie after slipping on a rock. I was simply dumbfounded when I learned of my friends untimely death. We were only in the fifth grade. Death was for old people that had gray hair and grandchildren. It just was not fair. Our class had only two days left before our graduation. Why did God let him die?Why even try to be successful when death could take everything you have worked for away at any unpredictable time? It was this last thought that caused me to stop everything I was doing. School is a waste of time, if death will just rob us of everything we worked for. This was a reoccurring thought racing in my mind after the death of Fred. Why try anymore? What will it get me in the future? I was determined to just give up on everything I worked for. Excellent grades and a good behavior meant nothing when fate was in the way. I was very ready to give up on trying my hardest, but almost immediately I remembered a quote that my grandmother once told me: Death happens, but life will go on with or without you. This quote seemed to follow me wherever I went. It was like my conscience tormenting me over and over again until I listened and when I finally did it changed my life.

I had an epiphany over my life. Fred was gone but I was still here. I had a future to look forward to. Yes this death changed my outlook on life but it also helped me grow as a person. I saw just how precious life was. This tragic death no longer took a toll on my life like it had in the past. In a aberrant way his death motivated me. I decided to accomplish the most I could no matter what my fate was. Fred's passing changed my outlook on life in general. I was dwelling in the past, another person's past.This time, I decided, I'm living my life instead of not taking chances due to my reservations because of a life lost. I'll do what Fred and others our age were aspiring to do. Being a success in life.

A day before our school, graduation I learned of Fred's death.
Fred Our class had only two days to go left before our graduation day.
Why did God let him die? Why even try to be successful when death could take everything you have worked for away at any unpredictable time?

Say more on how it changed you, and why this makes you eligible for this specific college.