I have faced devastating hardships in the past year. As I helped to care for my mother during the last few months of her life, my father left our family with no income to provide for our family. Last July, my mother went into hospice and passed away after becoming increasingly ill over the last several years, leaving me and my twin brother alone in a crumbling house. Not only were we devastated by her loss, but also distraught as she had no life insurance, leaving us destitute.
Thankfully, our older brother took us into his nearby trailer home while we complete our senior year in high school. My twin brother and have worked hard at our jobs at Walmart to make ends meet. Our aunt has also helped to provide essentials and encouragement to reach high for our goals.
The timing of the events in the past year has been challenging, as me and my twin brother both want to go to college. Despite the obstacles I faced with my mother’s passing, and the school system enforcing at-home learning due to Covid during my junior year of high school during the time she was very ill, I’ve maintained an A average in school by studying hard.
Before this tragedy, I had no concept of the value of life insurance. My mother didn’t expect to lose her life to a disease and could not imagine how it would tear our lives apart. I’ve been told that if my mother would have taken out a life insurance policy, my brother and I would be able to use the money to help pay for college. Without that, we are working as hard as possible at our jobs and applying for financial aid, however that will not cover all the costs of attending college. Our lives would have turned out differently if she would have had life insurance, as we would have been able to afford food, clothing, shelter, and support for college rather than not having essential needs and worrying about how we will pay for college.
My challenges were a great teacher, and the lessons I learned will be with me forever. I learned that I am stronger than I ever imagined, and at the end of the day the most important thing in life is the laughter and love we share with one another. I learned that as deep as my heart can feel pain and loss, it can also feel pure joy and gratitude. I learned that in silent moments, I can be alone with myself and feel at peace. Being active outside has also helped me to heal.
I am excited to become a college student and achieve my goals of graduating with a degree in biology so that I can help others be healthier.
I hope you agree that the growth from my experience would help me to make a genuine contribution at a university. Thank you for your consideration of a scholarship award.