Help ,What should i do?

A close friend of mine told me she loved me and said she could wait for us to marry someday. We were friends first, and she genuinely cared about me.

But after a terrible incident in my life, I changed a lot — physically and mentally. I’m not the same person she used to know, and honestly I don’t feel interested in relationships anymore.

I told her honestly that she shouldn’t wait for me and should find someone else who can make her happy, because I don’t want to hold her back. She said okay, but after some time she brought it up again.

A few days ago she called me, asked how I was doing, and said she missed me. Yesterday was my birthday and she texted me “happy birthday ❤️🙂” and I just replied “thank you.”

The difficult part is that I know she genuinely loves me, but I don’t think I can be the person she remembers or expects anymore. I care about her, which is why I don’t want to lead her on or give false hope.

How do I handle this kindly without hurting her more or giving mixed signals