No one understands the impact of losing a family member to ALS, unless you have been through it. No one understands the impact of losing a father to ALS, unless you have been through it. Unfortunately for me and my family, ALS took my father, my best friend, my provider, my safe-space this past March. We found out about my dads diagnosis December of 2019, about a year after he started showing symptoms. Doctors ruled out every other possible disease before we got to the worst one, ALS. It was Christmas time and quite frankly the worst time to find out that your dad was going to die. We were supposed to be cooking, opening presents, watching Christmas movies; instead we were crying in my parents bed over the fact that he was just diagnosed with a terminal illness. I went through the majority of my undergrad with his condition deteriorating; coming home every weekend to help take care of him and see his condition worsen. He stopped walking as the condition took the muscles of his legs first, he lost the ability to feed himself because his fingers started to loose strength, he was unable to sit up on his own because his core wasn’t strong enough. To see your 6’2 and 200 pound dad turn into someone you don’t even recognize, that is so weak, was humbling. He passed in March of 2022, three weeks before my graduation from Michigan State University. We talked about him being at my graduation every time I saw him, that if he could just make it to the ceremony that would help ease the pain of him not being at my wedding or the birth of my first born child. But he unfortunately passed away in his sleep when I was in class. ALS has taught me to always keep those you love close, to say I love you more and be generous to those around you. You never know what someone is going through or what they are experiencing at home. I was naive to think that something like this couldn’t happen, I had such an idealized view of my childhood. But now my mom, brother and I struggle with this loss everyday. Whether it be financially, emotionally or mentally, I do not think we will ever truly be the same. This scholarship would allow me to be able to pay for some of my Physicians Assistant masters program at Michigan State University for the next two years. My dad and his illness has inspired me to help others, and be a guiding light as his doctors were through this horrible time in my life. I want to be someone meaningful and helpful to others, and make an impact like my dad did for so many others. Since losing my dad we are now a one income household in an inflation era. I have to pay for my education with only loans and money I have saved working the past two years. This scholarship would be an honor to receive not only to help me financially but also as a way to honor my dad, Kurt Douglas, who was given so much less time on this earth than he deserved due to ALS. Thank you for your consideration.