On Dec. 30, the Star Tribune will publish a series of short essays about a dozen Minnesotans who personify the lives we lost in 2012, the inspiration they sparked and the legacy they left us.

We will call them our "Northern Lights."

We'd love for you to share the story of someone you lost this year.

Please send us an anecdote in 300 words or fewer and upload a photo, and we'll share them with our readers.