For months, the family van served as our frigid home in which my siblings and I rested our heads every night. Bundled in any coats, blankets, or socks we could find, in just 16 short years, I went from living on the floor of the family van to perfectly executing my routine on the floors of the 2012 Olympic Games. I’ve quickly learned that life isn’t about the destination, it’s about the journey. Throughout my childhood, I encountered several hardships and hurdles, however, with the support of my faith and family, I prevailed and won big at the 2012 Olympic Games.
My childhood was filled with hurdles that I had to overcome, but in the end, these barriers only made me stronger and more determined to accomplish my dreams. My parents, sisters, and brother served as my companions as I spent the early months of my life living on the floor of the family van (Douglas and Burford 16). My parents were constantly looking for jobs in hopes of providing a better life for their children (Douglas and Burford 18). My mother and father, struggling to raise five young children on their own, were presented with a new roadblock just before my first birthday (Douglas and Burford 19). I was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease called Branched Chain Ketoaciduria (Douglas and Burford 19). However, because my parents didn’t have enough money for treatment, all they could do was turn to their faith (Douglas and Burford 19). Months later, my family’s prayers had been answered and it was
I might always have health issues, and I may not ever be able to relax. However, that struggle and that desire to overcome has inspired me not only to get back to the person I was before the surgeries, but to better myself because of it. It’s that drive that inspires me to stay up studying well after the sun has set, to endure the pain during my physical therapy sessions, and most importantly to see that everyone must overcome adversity no matter how much it may affect their life. I see the way my mother put her entire universe on hold to care for me, and how agonizing that must have been to watch her daughter nearly slip away. I see the little girl with the plaid comforter, she was so tough, hoisting a smile onto her face when the rest of her body was in so much pain.
My life is a puzzle in which I test and solve its unpredictable pieces. I purposefully piece it together by acknowledging and reconciling the most significant fragments of my life. As a first-generation college student, finding my place while navigating the education system has been one of my biggest challenges. Coming from a low-income, Latino(a) single-parent family, I have always been determined to be more than a product of my circumstances; instead, the product of my decisions. Accordingly, I am proud to say I will complete a health science degree that has provided me with invaluable skills and expertise.
Sports are both physically and mentally demanding. In order to succeed one must work hard and learn to develop a trusting relationship with teammates, coaches, and with themselves. Winning is not always easy, yet it can be attained with a strong work ethic and the determination to never give up. The movie, “McFarland, USA,” and the story of the Washington Crew’s journey to win Olympic gold in “The Boys in the Boat” both exclaim how hard work and determination create success in sports.
Every week I would drive one hundred miles round trip to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. I would consult with numerous specialized doctors that I had waited months to secure an appointment with. Doctor appointments became my new normal. I was informed that I had a rare genetic disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. This diagnosis would leave me to test my resilience and it would also make me grow up quickly to manage the new responsibilities of balancing health and school.
I couldn’t move my legs. I couldn’t move my hands. My family took me to the hospital and from there I was admitted as patient. As a little girl I was always very optimistic. Becoming a patient meant no more school and no more homework.
Jacob was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome at the tender age of one. In order to combat this disease Jacob needed a life-saving transplant and with no family matches the family turned to NMDP to find him a donor. Through the NMDP registry Jacob was able to find a donor that saved his life. Since his transplant Jacob has been thriving and doing very well but in order to continue to keep doing well Jacob must stay near the transplant center in Boston which is hundreds of miles away from the family’s home in Maine. Life in Boston was a lot more expensive than they had anticipated and it was made even more difficult because Jacob’s mom Jeana, needed to reduce the amount of hours she worked in order to care for
My memoir, like mentioned previously, is about my life long battle with an auto immune disorder and later how it shaped me to be on the path I am today. Not understanding your disorder was a very difficult thing to process as child. To this day I’m still learning about the disorder. The memoir reflects a specific memory of me struggling with the concept of taking medication and why I was not like my siblings, but has a positive twist that leads me to my destiny.
The game sparked a wave of change and excitement across America. The Miracle on Ice, as it is now called, not only changed who won Olympic Gold, it changed American culture and international history. The Miracle on Ice specifically altered three major areas in American culture and international history. The first of these was the game’s
When I woke up in the hospital, I realize that I couldn’t remember anything during the seizure; I can barely remember before the seizure triggers it. And this incident took everything away from me, I was sad and depress. This might be one of the reasons why the coaches cut me from the team. Even though I loved the sport of basketball so much, but it seems like God didn’t want me to pursue thispath. I couldn’t understand why God took away my dream and goal, but later on I realize that Godhad a better plan for me.
Athletics is ingrained in the human experience and is an integral part of American culture. Because of that, many of my weekends and after school hours have been dedicated to either watching a game or starting one with the kids in the neighborhood. Athletics runs deep in my family. My great uncle was a professional baseball player and my family, including my father, three brothers and a sister, are all very involved with the various team sports. It’s this immersion into various sporting activities that has led me to the understanding that engaging in athletics has a very positive impact in our lives.
From a young age, my life has been presented with numerous adversities. Some of these hardships included being homeless, and childhood obesity. My father verbally abused my mother and I resulting in my parents divorcing when I was four. My mother won custody of me and my dad kicked us out of our home. Although by definition I was homeless, I felt that I had a spiritual home through the love my mother displayed for me.
Determination. I had to put this word first in this essay because its the only word that has a big meaning to me and has my whole life. Being determined has done a lot for me in the long run. It had kept my motivations up and going, also has led my life to where it is now. Determination wasn't just planted into my mindset one day.
This pushed me to start study medicine which I've become intrigued in by the help of mentors and teachers. I want to become a doctor and help serve and promote the health of
Through the course of his treatments and convalescence I have learned that listening and the understanding of the condition, greater outweighs the physical act of recovery. This has provided me with the skills to become a more confident, care-provider and teacher to make any child succeed. Currently I am undergoing training to become a Friendship Volunteer for Independent Age. Again, this I hope underlines qualities that I have. I also possess excellent communication skills, I am a good listener and I can understand and share the feelings of others.
Initially, my mind was set to join the soccer team. However, I found out there weren’t any openings available. The only team that had an opening was The Cross Country Team. I was terrified…my parents encouraged me to join as there wasn’t an option not to.