Throughout my high school years I have worked as a personal care assistant for my brother who has cerebral palsy. I usually brush his teeth, change his diaper, shower him, and help him with his homework. Although I do work as a PCA for him there has been many times that I have helped him even when I was unemployed. Such as when he had his surgery. He had cast all the way from his hips to down in his feet. Through his recovery I stay and watched him morning and night until he fell asleep. I knew my brother was in constant pain so I tried my best to do what I could do. I gave him his medicine and helped adjust his legs whenever he felt uncomfortable. I also volunteered to help in my mom’s daycare in the summer. There was a total of 6 kids, most of them were close in age. I know how hard it can be to take care of one child, yet alone 6 kids. Since kids are all different you have to interact with them all in a different way, some are more talkative while others are quite. All these different characteristics are important to think about when interacting with each kid, and it has taught me that kids are all different and they all need different things to learn and grow.

I have always been very shy and closed off throughout my childhood. From the age of six years old I had to move from Puerto Rico to the United States, which meant I had to change the way I understood life. Being unable to speak English, had made me even more closed off and unwanted. All through elementary, I did not have any real friends. It wasn't until I entered middle school that I truly had made some real friends, even till this day we are still friends. It has been 7 amazing years, getting to know my two best friends and really create a close bond. My friends have always been their for me through thick and thin, and through the good and bad. They had never left my side unlike others who I've also considered as close friends. I believe friendship is essential, and important, because they have left a big impact on my life and had helped make me the person that I am today. True friendship is hard to find but when you do find it, it is as valuable as gold. Although everyone wishes to have the gold not everyone can get the gold. My best friends are my comfort, my life would never have been the same without them. They make me be the best version of myself and show me everyday how important I am to them. They show me that I am valuable and needed. They accept me for who I am and never have judged me or my actions. I hope that everyone gets the chance to find true friendship, because without friendship we have no one in this world to lean on and help support you.

When I was six years old my brother was born, unfortunately in the day of his birth there were many complications. My mother was pregnant with identical twin boys, when one day she noticed one of them stopped kicking and she could no longer feel him. From this moment on my mother knew that one of her babies had died. When the time came for my mother to give birth, the second baby had internal bleeding in the brain and was having trouble breathing, because of this the doctors had concluded that he would be like a vegetable. That he would never talk, walk, or move, and that he would only sit in a chair unable to do anything. My mother was devastated and heart broken by this, so my parents decided that the only thing they can do is go to the U.S. At six years old I had to say goodbye to the life I knew in Puerto Rico and adjust to living in the States. With this big change came a lot of struggle, as I had to reprogram my brain to learn a new language and adjust to this new life. Throughout my childhood as I was a shy person and still am, I had faced challenges in school, making friends, and feeling a sense of belonging. These events had shown me what the real world is like, having to See my parents struggle to find jobs, even when they didn't know English. These struggles have challenged me and encourage me to be the best person I can be. I knew that I had to work hard in school to help my parents get the help they need. Not only have I worked hard in school but I also took care of my brother as well.

As someone who want to go to college to study occupational therapy, my biggest legacy is to impact the lives of people. Throughout my life I have been privileged enough to be able see the works of occupational therapist, as my brother who has cerebral palsy lives with the everyday challenges of his condition. Although I did not know what I wanted to do in the future, I always knew I would study something in the health care field. As I got older I realized the impact that therapist like occupational and physical therapist have on those with conditions. From that moment on I decided that I would also help those with conditions, just like my brother. Which is why I decided to become a pediatric occupational therapist, so that I can also help those who live with disabilities. To help give them independence, help in strengthening motor skills, and develop new movement. My legacy is not only to help kids with disabilities, but it is also to help low income families as well. Because as the young adult that I am now, I have had to face the struggles that come with living in America as a person who's English is not their first language. I want this to be my legacy, because I want to be able to give back to all the occupational therapist that have helped my brother become the person he is now. I also want to be able to impact the lives of others and create a positive outlook in their lives, and become someone they can remember as a dedicated occupational therapist.