My name is Natakie Eccleston. Raising a family while trying to better myself hasn’t been easy, though it’s been worth every challenge. I’m a mother of two biological and I care for my two godchildren, and every decision I’ve made, good or bad, has somehow circled back to them. They are my reason, my motivation, and the reason I refuse to stay down, no matter how hard life gets. I’ve battled addiction, struggled financially, and fought through personal setbacks that at one point made me feel like I’d never catch a break. Still, I get up every day determined to be better than I was the day before. For years, I worked jobs that paid the bills without fulfilling me. Life felt like survival mode, going through the motions while carrying a weight I didn’t know how to put down. After getting sober and deciding to take my life back, I realized how deeply I wanted to help people who feel overlooked and broken. I understand what it means to be lost in a world that keeps moving whether you’re ready or not. This is what led me to healthcare. I earned my Associate’s Degree in Medical Administration and am now pursuing my Bachelor’s Degree in Health Services Administration with a minor in Psychology. Choosing this career path came from a desire to be there for others during moments when they feel invisible. Everyone deserves to be treated like they matter. Many people carry silent battles, and having someone who’s willing to listen, show compassion, or advocate for them can mean everything. My experiences shaped me into someone who can connect with others because I’ve walked through pain, struggle, and setbacks while clinging to hope. Returning to school as a mother is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Balancing parenting, work, coursework, and maintaining my mental health in a world that feels heavier every day is exhausting. There are times when I feel overwhelmed and question if I’m doing the right thing. Financial pressure adds to that weight. Between tuition, books, and household bills, it often feels impossible to stay afloat. My determination to push forward comes from knowing what’s waiting on the other side of this journey. Receiving this scholarship would lift a huge weight off my shoulders. It would show me that people believe in mothers like me, trying to change the narrative for themselves and their families. Having some financial relief would give me space to breathe, focus on my studies, and be more present for my children without carrying constant anxiety about how I’m going to manage it all. My hope is that my story teaches my children resilience. Life will knock you down, and it’s what you do after that matters. Even in my imperfections, I am proud of the woman I’m becoming. I’ve made peace with my past and now focus on using my life experiences to help others. This is more than a career goal for me; it’s my purpose. I want to be someone who shows people there’s still hope, even when life feels too heavy to carry. That is why I chose healthcare, and that is the legacy I hope to leave for my family and everyone I have the privilege to help.

My Name Is Natakie Eccleston: A Testimony of Grace, Growth, and Purpose Hi, my name is Natakie Eccleston. I am a mother, a wife, a student, and a woman who has overcome addiction. I am four years sober from alcohol and two years free from nicotine. This is my story. I had a rough upbringing, though I was always well cared for. What I struggled with was how to handle stress and emotional pain. At the age of 15, I started smoking cigarettes, and by 17, I was drinking alcohol. It felt harmless at the time. Everyone else around me was doing it, and I didn’t see the danger. Slowly, it began to steal pieces of me, chipping away at my confidence and ability to face life in a healthy way. In 2011, my mother became seriously ill, and I completely spiraled. Alcohol became my way of coping with fear, sadness, and anxiety. From that year until 2020, it was a roller coaster. I was what people call a “functioning alcoholic.” I worked, kept up with responsibilities, raised my children, and on the outside, it looked like I was doing fine. The truth was I drank every evening, and it changed me. I became angry, aggressive, and reckless. The damage I caused wasn’t only to myself but also to the people who loved me. My daughter was about four years old during the worst of it. She was bright, outspoken, and loving. The look in her eyes every time she saw me pick up a drink broke my heart. She begged me not to drink, and even though those words cut deep, I kept going. Shame and judgment from others hurt too—the head shakes, the whispers, and the disappointed looks. Addiction didn’t care about that. It had me. In 2018, I became pregnant with my son. I stopped drinking during the pregnancy because I was terrified of hurting him. I told myself I wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt. Once I gave birth, though, I fell right back into it. That’s when it hit me that even my children couldn’t save me from myself. The decision had to come from within. Four years ago, everything came to a breaking point. I planned a family trip to New York City, rented a hotel room, and invited everyone. No one showed up. My husband, my children, my family — they had all given up on me. Sitting alone with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s in hand, cursing out my cousin and ignoring my mother’s calls, I felt completely lost. The next morning, something shifted. A voice inside me clearly said, “Put it down and never pick it up again.” I grabbed the bottle, poured it down the toilet, and from that moment, never craved it again. I truly believe that was God. He took the addiction from me and wiped away the desire. Since then, my life has transformed. I went back to school and earned my associate degree in Medical Administration. Now, I’m working toward my bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration with a minor in Psychology. Life isn’t easy. Even though I’m grateful and content, I struggle every day with the cost of school, raising my children, and navigating this challenging world in 2025. This education isn’t just for me. It’s a tool to help others battling addiction, feeling lost, or overlooked. I want to understand the systems people get trapped in and help create safe, compassionate spaces where people feel seen, heard, and supported. My story is proof that you can fall, fail, and still rise again.

My Caregiving Journey My name is Natakie Eccleston, and tomorrow, I will be 35 years old. I am a proud mother of two biological children and a loving godmother to two boys I also care for. For most of my life, caregiving has been more than a job — it’s been my calling. I’ve worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for six years and as a home health aide for thirteen. Whether it’s caring for my own family, patients at work, or people I meet in passing, I’ve always had a heart to help. My work involves assisting with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) — helping people bathe, dress, eat, and move about safely. It’s more than just tasks; it’s about showing people love, kindness, and dignity when they’re most vulnerable. I’m the one my family and friends rely on — the one who prays, encourages, and keeps everyone together. I truly believe my faith shaped this part of me. I believe that God is love, God is kind, and God is patient — and those are the qualities I strive to reflect in my life. How Caregiving and Life’s Lessons Have Shaped Me? I didn’t always have it all together. I had a good upbringing, but like many young people, I made bad choices. I followed the wrong crowd, neglected school, and made decisions that put me on a harder path. I became a mother at a young age, and for a while, I lost sight of my potential. But through it all, God never left me, and neither did my natural heart for giving. Now, as a mother of two and a caregiver to two more children who aren’t biologically mine, I’m determined to be a better example. I want my children to see what perseverance looks like — to know that even if you mess up in life, you can still turn it around. I want to teach them the importance of being kind, of loving people, and of living by God’s character: kindness, patience, and love. I returned to school years later, when it was even harder for me as a working mother. I did it, because I want my children to understand that the world is tough, but your mind can be your biggest obstacle. If you keep your heart pure and your faith strong, you can overcome anything. Why This Scholarship Matters? This scholarship isn’t just financial assistance — it’s an opportunity to help me continue this path I’ve fought so hard to stay on. I attend a private college, one of the few that worked with my hectic schedule. I work Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., come home to help my children with their homework, and take weekend shifts in a nursing home. The financial burden of tuition is heavy, especially during these challenging times. Receiving this scholarship would lift a huge weight off my shoulders, helping me stay in school and continue pursuing a career where I can care for others. It would allow me to provide for my family without drowning in debt and help me show my children what strength, kindness, and perseverance look like in action. When my children look at me, I want them to see a giver. I want them to remember that even though their mother made mistakes, she rose above them with grace and faith. I want them to understand that no matter how rough the world gets, we are called to be kind, to be loving, to be meek, and to trust that God’s plan for our lives is greater than our past.

Hi, My name is Natakie Eccleston and I am 33-years-old married with 2 children. My Phoebe is my aunt, Winsom. As far as I can remember she's been a second mother to me. My phoebe doesn't have children of her own because she took in her younger sister's 3 young children. My brother, sister, and myself. She was there for everything doctor appointments, struggles, school, heartbreaks, graduation, etc. My phoebe is my hero, she taught me love and discipline. She is an immigrant who came to this country with little to nothing. She was uneducated without talents meaning in the working environment. She then became a Home Health Aide. That has been her career and still is. Moving forward, when my Phoebe began working she taught me to always take care of my brother and sister. Working a 12-hour shift she came home to cook, prepare our clothes, and check our school work for the following day. She is a strong brilliant woman the smartest woman I know and that is not because she's my aunty but because she navigated her way through life with nothing but breath in her body. Can you imagine not having anything and taking 3 young children and building a life for yourself and them? My phoebe is an amazing character and a beautiful soul. As opposed to my Phoebe being awesome in my life, I didn't always make it easy for her. I grew up being a troubled child following the wrong crowd, not listening, and being disrespectful. With all that being said she always had my back. I dropped out of high school, got pregnant, and had no job and she nursed me a cared for me through it all. My entire childhood I felt unloved, now as an adult I grew to understand my whole childhood represented nothing but unconditional love, inexpressible love, the sweetest love known to man. With the baby in the picture I was lost, didn't know what to do, and wanted my freedom. Even though she worked a 12-hour shift she would help me before work and when she was released from work. My daughter is the apple of her eyes and still is. She was rough but at the same time soft. She paid for trade school for me and I became a Certified Nursing Assistant and still is up to this present day. This scholarship can help me to pay for school an obtain my degree. My passion for helping people started when I was a young child, and I have made it my career. With a diverse background in patient care, I am dedicated to providing exceptional care to those in need. I can sympathize and empathize with all different kinds of people ranging from children to the elderly. I am energetic and have a great passion for patient care, and the necessary leadership skills to contribute to a clinical and collaborative team. I took the initiative to go back to school to further my education so I will be able to to utilize my skills to there maximum capacity. In conclusion, my Phoebe taught me everything. Without her, I would have strayed away. She instilled in me strength, willpower, drive, and a beautiful heart because of her I know the sky is the limit and there is nothing that I am unable to achieve. As long as I have breath in my body and determination I will execute, accomplish, fulfill, and succeed. Life isn't easy I am now in college but what my Phoebe indented in me, let's just say I've already graduated.