The night my twenty-one-year-old brother died, time did not just stop; it shattered. He was parked on the shoulder of a highway helping a friend with a flat tire when a drunk driver drifted off the road. The impact was so violent it threw him nearly a mile away. In an instant, the person who had been by my side since birth was gone because of a single, preventable choice. At eighteen, I was not just losing a brother. I was losing my closest peer and daily companion. Our closeness was defined by the halls of our school, where we spent our days together. Being so close in age meant our lives were inextricably linked. We shared friends, teachers, and the unique pressure of navigating young adulthood. He was the person I looked for in the crowds between classes. He was a constant, grounding presence who understood my world because he was living in it right alongside me. Losing him at eighteen meant losing the person who was supposed to graduate, grow up, and enter the world by my side. This tragedy has reshaped my perspective on the fragility of life and the weight of our choices. I have learned that resilience is not about moving on, but about carrying his memory with purpose. Being a sibling survivor means navigating a quiet, heavy grief while trying to be a pillar for my parents. I choose to carry his memory forward by living with the courage he showed that night. I am no longer just pursuing my education for myself. I am doing it to honor the future he was denied, ensuring that the bond we shared in those school hallways continues to drive me toward a life of impact, accountability, and kindness.

Growing up, I watched my mom embody strength, sacrifice, and resilience in ways that words often fall short of capturing. Raising four children on her own while working two jobs, she became not just the backbone of our family, but a living truth to what it means to put others before yourself. She has always had to work for what she wanted without help. My mom’s journey was never easy, but it was filled with a determination that shaped me and my siblings into who we are today.  My mom’s work ethic was unmatched. She works every day, even on weekends, to provide for our family. She has worked almost every single day for as long as I can remember. She has a full-time job as well as a part-time job. On certain days of the week, she works both jobs. Her hours tend to look like this- she works from 7 am-3 pm, then from 5:30 pm-9:30 pm.  But her love for us wasn’t limited to providing the bare necessities. She was an unwavering presence in our lives, always there for our school events or simply to listen when we needed to talk. She was my basketball team’s booster president for 2 years in a row, and stayed as president for my senior year, which most parents don’t have to do because it’s their child’s last year. She balanced the act of working multiple jobs with being an ever-present figure in our childhood. When one of us had a problem, she was the first person we turned to, even if she had just come home from a grueling shift. Her ability to juggle so much without sacrificing her love and care for us is something I have and will always admire. What made her even more remarkable was her ability to make it all look easy. I never saw her cry out of frustration or let on that things were tough. She had this incredible ability to shield us from the burdens she carried, allowing us to focus on school and life without worrying about the financial or emotional strain she faced. The sacrifices she made weren’t always visible to us, but as I grew older, I began to recognize the extent of her selflessness.  Despite the challenges, my mom taught us the value of hard work, perseverance, and the importance of family. She encouraged us to embrace the idea that no matter what hurdles we faced, we had the strength to overcome them. And through her, we learned that love isn’t just something you say—it’s something you show through actions. Today, I look back at the strength my mom displayed during those years. She raised four kids, supported us in ways I’ll never fully a understand, and did it all without ever asking for recognition. My mom’s sacrifices, her endless dedication, and her unshakable love shaped who we are as individuals and will forever serve as an example of what it means to be truly selfless.