I was only 9 when my dad passed. My mom, my three older brothers and I lost our dad due to ALS. It was hard growing up without a father figure in our life. We didn’t have a dad to show us how to fix a car, ride a bike or a shoulder to cry on when I had a broken heart. My two oldest brothers were able to experience a walking, talking and playful father. He was a loving and caring man. He loved working on airplanes and flying them. His aspiration in life was to become a pilot. Our dads health started to decline when my third oldest brother was born. Our dads aspirations turned to dust when he started losing his fine motor skills. When I was born he was fully paralyzed. I never experienced his real voice - only the computerized voice. I never had a chance to experience the love of a father. I never went to father-daughter dances. We never had the chance to celebrate a physical Father’s Day where we went out. My brothers never got to experience father-son activities which they craved. It was hard seeing others enjoy things with their dads. Even now I find myself thinking and missing something I would never be able to experience. I will never have my dad to walk me down the aisle at my wedding. After our dad passed we lived with our maternal grandmother. Which was not an ideal experience. We went from a dual income to single income when our dad got sick. After he passed our income was nothing. Our mom had to work long and tiresome hours raising four kids on her own, pay our dads medical bills and funeral expenses. Without our dad we were dirt poor. We had to stay with our abusive grandma while my mom worked 12 to 16 hour days. Our family was broken and falling apart without him. With this scholarship I know I would be able to fulfill my dads wishes of me going to school for something I love. Before he had passed away he told our mom he would do anything in his power to make sure his kids would have an education in something they love. He was a huge believer in education and new experiences. That’s who he was, a man who wanted to see his kids live out their dreams.