I started to apply to this particular scholarship once Bold.org matched my profile as a candidate, but after I read about Eric's life, his education, his history, and his passion for nursing, I decided to learn more. I looked at Eric's obituary, and it finally sank in. My first thought was, "This is not fair!' This man served his country, served his community, and was in the process of perusing his career. He was doing what he loved, but his life was taken too soon after leaving the very thing that he loved doing; caring for others. My heart aches after looking at Eric's picture. These memorial scholarships are all in remembrance of someone, but sometimes, we forget that this someone was once somebody's son, father, brother, husband, etc. These are real people, and these scholarships are worth so much more than just money. If I was to know Eric, I would say that Eric probably left an impression on his patients and is still missed deeply to this day. I feel that Eric's biography explains his "why" to nursing and if my why can touch at least one person like Eric's story has touched me, then I will be grateful. I want to make a difference in this world. I want to be the reason that my patient's choose life, or that my patient's have the will power to live, even though their body may be telling them other wise, and I want to be like Eric where his name is still talked about, even when he is physically gone from this earth. I am more than just interested in perusing nursing, I am devoted, passionate, and determined. I have overcome more obstacles in life such as the death of my father, being a single mother, and living paycheck to paycheck wondering where my next meal may come from. All of my past experiences have molded me into who I am today and have shaped me into becoming an excellent nurse. I can speak and educate to others about community resources when patients may not see any other options. Sometimes it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but as nurses, we can provide hope, support, and peace. When you have personally experienced heartache, strife, grief, hurt, wins, loses, successes, etc, you can relate with patients and give them the support they need. I would be forever grateful to receive additional funding to help pursue my education in becoming a registered nurse. Thank you!

Very much like Carol B. Warren herself, I experienced the tragic loss of my father that led to life changing events and an enormous amount of obstacles to overcome. My father passed away unexpectedly in 2011, and I was left as a single mother of my three year old son, only making minimum wage while attending a community college part-time. When I graduated high school in 2007, I immediately started college. I knew then that I wanted to be a nurse, but a little thing we call "life" got in the way and I became a mother a lot sooner than planned. I knew that I would eventually pick back up where I left off, and I did just that in the beginning of 2011, when my son turned three. My dad agreed to help me through school as long as I made good grades. Unfortunately, my father passed away December 23, 2011 and again, I had to drop out of school, pick up all the broken pieces, and somehow manage to keep a smile on my face for my son who lost the man he called "pawpaw." I completely threw out the option of even becoming a nurse and convinced myself that God had other plans for my life. However, seven years later, I decided it was time. It was time to achieve my goals and make my dreams come true. As of today, I am still in school, nursing school that is! My anticipated graduation date is May 2025. It almost seems surreal. Looking back, there were so many times when I was not sure how I was going to make it, or where my next meal would come from. I found the joy and satisfaction in the small things in life. I learned how to cope with death, how to become the best mother to my son, and how to overcome the hardest thing in life that I have ever experienced. I have applied to so many different scholarships and grants because my financial aid has exhausted. When I saw this scholarship, I thought that I finally found one that I could relate to. I would be forever grateful to receive additional funds to help continue my education and achieve my goals of becoming a nurse. I also made my dad a promise to finish my studies and become a registered nurse. I plan to keep my promise and even though my daddy is not physically here on earth with me, his spirit lives with in me.