“We weren’t sure he would survive the night.” That is what my cardiologist told my mother a couple of months after I was born regarding my birth. Minutes after my birth, both of my lungs collapsed and I was intubated. I was diagnosed with Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return (TAPVR), a rare and critical heart condition in which the pulmonary veins attach to incorrect places in the heart resulting in insufficient levels of oxygen being delivered to the body. Hours later, I was in open heart surgery. I survived the surgery and my defect was repaired, but the damage done to my body was far from over. I contracted Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) numerous times. RSV, a common virus that generally causes mild cold symptoms, became another life-threatening illness for me due to the lung damage received at birth. In addition to other stays, I spent one birthday and one Christmas in the hospital, nearly dying a couple of times. Often, I could not go to school because I was sick or in the hospital. It was difficult to be a regular student and receive the education as well as the socializing that takes place in school. Other times, my parents kept me home during periods of flu, RSV, and other outbreaks. Developmentally, I was delayed. I did not walk or talk at the correct time. For years, I went to physical therapy and speech therapy to assist my growth. My struggles taught me to work like each day was my last. I learned to fight for what I want, for my wellness, and for my education. I am an honors student because I have worked hard to be so. Now that hospital visits are less frequent, I look back and remember. The fear. The pain. But I also remember the little bits of joy that came from new toys and books given to me. That is why I started organizing Toy Drives for Children's Hospital. I contacted the hospital and created a list of items that children from toddlers to teens would want. I called upon local organizations, schools, and my neighborhood to donate toys. I have delivered a total of 798 toys to the hospital these past two years. I eagerly await the 2026 Toy Drive and the joy these toys will bring to the children. My plan is to secure a stable career in Business Administration, concentrating in Finance. I want to have a family and be able to care for them. I also want to carry on with my efforts to help children in the hospital. I will continue my toy drives, for I understand the joy the toys bring to the children. But I would love to expand my services. Services such as meal deliveries, education and support for living with a CHD, or even an aid to help with daily tasks as life resumes following a hospital stay would be very valuable to these families. The skills I learn in college will be critical in starting a venture such as this and necessary to run it effectively. My congenital heart defect has impacted my life in many ways. Living my life has not been easy, but it is all that I know. Through the difficulties and the struggles, I have become a stronger person who never gives up. I want to increase my knowledge with new skills that can empower me to help other people, so they are supported during their difficult times. I am a child with CHD, but because of and in spite of it, I am also so much more.