At the age of 11, I was in a car accident that left me paralyzed from the waist down and wheelchair-bound for the rest of my life. I had so many dreams and aspirations, I played sports and loved basketball and riding horses and in a split instance I thought that all was taken from me. I wasn’t sure yet by age 11 what my set career goal was going to be, but before the car accident, I knew I had a world of opportunities to choose from. After this life-changing incident, I had to have a new outlook on my life and that it wasn’t over but there were going to be more struggles than before along the way, but I wouldn’t let that stop me from being the person God has planned for me. After having a social worker come into my life at 14 years old and being opened to the world of the courts and criminal justice system, I instantly knew my career goal was going to be in the justice system. I wanted to be a social worker at first, but I know that they do home visits and being that I am in a wheelchair I knew I wouldn’t be able to get in and out of everyone’s home I would need to. After researching the different law careers, I found the career of a Child Abuse Prosecutor and my first thought was how hard emotionally that career could be, but also how much they help our communities and keep children safe. I struggle with anxiety from childhood trauma and my car accident, but because of my obstacles, I know what it’s like to feel helpless and not in control of a situation. My hardships and life experience have made me who I am today, a fighter, who doesn’t give up on what she believes in. I started taking college classes in high school to get a head start on the many years of schooling I have ahead of me. Many people doubted that I could do it, but after graduating high school I was not going to let being in a wheelchair take away my independence and goals so I got my own apartment and moved an hour and a half away from my small town for college. Despite the struggles of my disability and anxiety when getting overwhelmed easily at times and it taking me longer to get anywhere I have maintained amazing grades in my classes. I plan on transferring to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs to finish up my associate's degree and start on my bachelor's degree.