Nursing isn’t just a career path for me; it’s something my life experiences have led me toward, even through the hardest moments I never imagined I’d face. In 2020, I lost my son Kyler. There’s no way to explain that kind of pain unless you’ve lived it. It changed everything about me. In the months after his death, I felt lost, but I also felt pulled toward something bigger. I wanted to take everything I was feeling—grief, love, confusion—and turn it into something meaningful. Just four months later, I made the decision to start my nursing school journey. I knew nursing was where my pain could become purpose, where I could sit with people in their darkest moments just like Kyler’s nurses sat with me. Their compassion carried me through the unthinkable, and I wanted to give that same comfort to others. And then there’s my son Kenzo. Raising a child with autism has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. He’s taught me patience and the importance of celebrating small victories. Kenzo doesn’t just make me a better mother; he makes me a better human. Because of him, I approach everything with more gentleness, compassion, and understanding. These two boys—one watching over me and one walking beside me—are the reason I am who I am today. They’ve taught me empathy, something you cannot learn in any classroom. They’ve shown me how fragile life is and how powerful love can be. And they’re the reason I’m determined to become a nurse who sees the whole person, not just the symptoms in front of them. Growing up in Hawai’i shaped me as well. The values of community, respect, and resilience guide everything I do. But when it came time to pursue nursing, Hawai’i simply wasn’t feasible. Programs were incredibly expensive, and the waitlists were years long. Staying home would have meant at least six years before I could graduate. As a mother trying to build a future for my family, I didn’t have six years to wait. Choosing Arizona College of Nursing was both a blessing and a heartbreak. It gave me a real opportunity: I could apply, get accepted quickly, and start right away instead of losing years waiting. But it also meant splitting my family apart. My husband had to stay in Hawai’i to work and support us while I moved to Las Vegas with our children to chase this dream. Leaving him behind was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made, but we knew this sacrifice was temporary and worth the future it would create for our family. Now, as a full-time nursing student, every long night of studying and every challenge feels worth it. I’m not doing this just for myself. I’m doing it for the patients who will trust me with their care, for the parents who are grieving, and for the people who need someone to truly see them. The mission of Arizona College of Nursing—to prepare compassionate, community-focused nurses—feels like home to me. It reflects everything I believe in. Receiving this scholarship would ease the financial weight on my single-income family, but more importantly, it would allow me to fully step into the purpose I’ve carried since the day my life changed forever. In memory of Kyler, and in honor of Kenzo, I will carry both love and loss with me into my nursing career and use them to bring healing, comfort, and hope to every person I care for.