For more than ten years, my faith has been the foundation that carried me through life-threatening health challenges. Since 2015, I have faced chronic illness, including gastrointestinal complications, anxiety, depression, kidney failure, a kidney transplant, heart surgery, and years of dialysis. Through every hospital stay, setback, and moment of uncertainty, I never questioned God or blamed Him for what I was enduring. Instead, I trusted that He had a purpose greater than what I could see in the moment. There were many nights spent alone in hospital rooms where prayer was the only thing that brought me peace. In those moments, I did not pray simply for healing, I prayed for strength, understanding, and the ability to endure whatever God placed before me. I believed that He would not make me this resilient without reason. I often reminded myself that there is no testimony without the “test,” and that every challenge is an opportunity to trust God more deeply, even when the outcome is unclear. One scripture that carried me through those seasons was Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” When my health was failing and answers were uncertain, my faith became the evidence that hope still existed. I learned to trust God even when I could not physically see how things would work out. Another passage that sustained me was Romans 5:3–5, which reminds us that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope, and that hope does not disappoint. That scripture helped me understand that my pain was not meaningless; it was shaping who I was becoming within the body of Christ. Relying on my faith did not mean the journey was easy. Dialysis three times a week, major surgeries, and long recoveries tested me physically and emotionally. Yet, I truly believe I would not have survived without the presence of God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—covering and sustaining me. An example of god covering me was before I was going into heart surgery which was a manor surgery with a good amount of possible complications, the surgeon came to me before the surgery and prayed over my and the surgery and right then all my fears and anxiety went away because I knew the lord was wasting over me though the surgeon and through the whole procedure. Even in my weakest moments, I felt God’s protection and reassurance that my life still had purpose. Today, I am living proof of God’s faithfulness. After years of instability, I am finally medically stable. I am married, the proud father of a beautiful four-month-old daughter, and back in college completing my associate degree in Behavioral Health. God brought me out of loneliness and gave me exactly what He knew my heart needed: love, family, and direction. There were moments over the past decade when I nearly lost my life, yet God preserved me. My faith has not only helped me survive, it has given me a mission. I want to help children and young people who are facing chronic illness see that their lives still matter and that their suffering has meaning. Through Christ, I have learned that miracles are real, purpose is revealed through endurance, and faith can carry us through the darkest seasons. I am forever grateful to say that Jesus is my King, and my life is a testimony to His grace. Thanks to my faith in the lord I know no weapon formed against me shall prosper as long as I give mind body and soul to my king Jesus christ.

Becoming part of the disabled community was not something I chose, it was something life required me to accept. I live with end-stage renal disease and depend on dialysis to survive. This condition has reshaped every aspect of my daily life, from how much I can drink to how far I can walk without becoming short of breath. Simple activities, like climbing a flight of stairs, can leave me exhausted. I must strictly monitor my fluid intake because any excess builds up in my body until dialysis removes it, placing constant strain on my heart and overall health. I have to schedule my life around having to go to dialysis 3 times a week wich is a hassel but im greatful to be a live. Before my illness, I was an athlete, accustomed to pushing my body and drinking large amounts of fluid without a second thought. Losing that freedom was devastating. The adjustment to fluid restrictions and physical limitations affected my mental health deeply, contributing to conditions such as cyclic vomiting syndrome and gastroparesis. These challenges made it difficult to function in ways most people consider “normal” and significantly lowered my quality of life. Over time, I also endured multiple major surgeries, including a kidney transplant, heart surgery due to fluid overload, and several biopsies. I continue to struggle with insomnia and the physical toll of long-term chronic illness. Living this reality has completely changed how I view the world. I’ve learned that many people take their bodies for granted. The ability to breathe easily, drink freely, or wake up without pain.I once knew those feelings never knew they could be here one day and gone the next. Chronic illness teaches you to respect every system in the body and to understand how deeply physical health, mental health, and emotional resilience are connected. Being disabled has also taught me patience, self-awareness, and empathy. When your life depends on medical schedules, treatment adherence, and constant monitoring, you learn to advocate for yourself and others. Despite these challenges, I refused to let my condition define my limits. After years of managing my health, I made the decision to return to college with a renewed sense of purpose. I am currently pursuing my associate degree in Behavioral Health, with plans to continue toward a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. My long-term goal is to work with children and adolescents who live with chronic illness or face significant medical challenges. I know firsthand how isolating it can feel to be sick at a young age, especially when peers cannot relate to your experience. I want to use my lived experience to help others feel seen, supported, and understood. I hope to advocate for better mental health resources for children with chronic conditions/ physically disabilities, and to raise awareness about the invisible struggles that come with disabilities. Being part of the physically disabled community has shown me that strength is not the absence of struggle, it is the decision to keep moving forward despite it. This scholarship would support my educational journey while I continue managing a lifelong medical condition. More importantly, it would help me transform hardship into purpose and allow me to give back to the community that has shaped who I am today.

Growing up as the child of a military parent shaped my life in ways I didn’t fully understand until I became an adult. Before my twin brother and I were born, my father served as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton. He received an honorable discharge after a medical incident that left him disabled, but the military never really left our home. The discipline, the expectations, and the emotional toughness he learned as a Marine became the foundation of how he raised us. My father was a single parent, doing his best to provide for two boys while also managing the physical and emotional effects of his service-related disability. We grew up sharing a room, and spending long hours on our own because he had to focus on working and coping with his injury. Without consistent guidance or emotional support, my brother and I drifted into street environments and unproductive behaviors that created trouble for us more than once. It wasn’t that our father didn’t care, it was that he raised us the only way he knew how: like Marines. Feelings weren’t discussed, vulnerability wasn’t encouraged, and life was about surviving, not expressing. The lack of emotional security and constant instability took a toll on me over time. I developed major depression, and eventually my physical health suffered as well. Over the past ten years, I have been battling end stage chronic kidney disease, a challenge that forced me to slow down, reflect, and rebuild. Although my childhood was difficult, those experiences pushed me to develop resilience, empathy, and a deep understanding of how trauma impacts young people. Now, with a clearer sense of purpose, I am focused on creating a future built from everything I overcame. I have returned to college and am currently working on my associate degree in Behavioral Health at Montgomery College. After completing this program, I plan to attend UMBC Shady Grove to earn my bachelor’s degree in Social Work. My goal is to work with youth and young adults who are facing mental health struggles, unstable home lives, and emotional trauma, like I did. Growing up with a military father meant growing up in the shadow of both strength and sacrifice. His service, and the injury that ended it, shaped the structure of our family, our challenges, and ultimately my life path. While we faced financial instability, emotional distance, and years of navigating life without consistent parental presence, these experiences taught me the value of perseverance and compassion. They also taught me what children need to thrive, and what happens when those needs go unmet. This scholarship would help relieve the financial pressure of continuing my education while living with a chronic medical condition. More importantly, it would bring me one step closer to fulfilling my mission: to support young people who are going through mental and emotional crises, and to become the kind of advocate I wish I had growing up. My father served his country with honor. Now, I hope to serve others through healing, guidance, and community impact.

Growing up in a single father household shaped every part of who I am. My twin brother and I shared a small room, often unsure of where our next meal would come from. Our father, previously a Staff Sergeant in the Marines, raised us the only way he knew, like soldiers. There was discipline, but almost no emotional support. Because he was rarely home, my brother and I spent a lot of time on the streets, getting into unproductive situations that led to trouble. With no guidance, no stability, and no space to express emotions, I carried the weight of everything alone. These early hardships eventually caught up with me. The stress, lack of support, and years of pushing myself through life led to major depression, and my physical health collapsed. For the past ten years since graduating high school in 2015, I’ve been battling chronic kidney disease, learning resilience the hard way. Today, I am finally in a place where I can rebuild my life with purpose. I’ve returned to college and am working toward my associate degree in Behavioral Health from Montgomery college. After that, I plan to attend UMBC Shady Grove to earn my bachelor’s in Social Work. My goal is to give back to the chronically ill, especially pediatric community facing mental health crises who don’t have the support they need. My life experiences taught me perseverance, empathy, and the importance of showing up for others. I’m committed to turning my pain into purpose by becoming the support system I never had.

Growing up, I never expected that my teenage years would be defined by a chronic illness. In 2015, at just seventeen years old, I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Being a young Black male, I was scared I would become another statistic tied to chronic illness. While most people my age were navigating high school and planning their futures, I was sitting in exam rooms hearing words I never imagined would apply to me. For years, I struggled physically, emotionally, and mentally as my condition progressed. What made everything harder was the isolation, I didn’t know a single person my age going through anything similar. I felt like I was fighting a battle no one could see and even fewer could understand. Living with CKD from adolescence into adulthood taught me resilience in ways I never expected. I learned responsibility early: managing medications, understanding lab numbers, adjusting my lifestyle, and showing up for dialysis treatments even on the days I felt defeated. But my greatest lesson came from realizing that invisible battles shape people just as deeply as visible ones. Because I endured years of feeling alone in my struggle, I now keep that experience at the center of everything I do. My journey inspired me to pursue a career in behavioral health. I am currently earning my associate degree in Behavioral Health at Montgomery College, and I plan to continue my education at UMBC Shady Grove to complete my bachelor’s degree in social work. I want to work directly with people whose mental and emotional challenges are tied to chronic illness. I know firsthand what it feels like to be lost in the system, searching for someone who understands. I want to be the person I needed when I was younger. A major part of my humanitarian service is my certification in Mental Health First Aid. This training has equipped me to recognize signs of mental health and substance-use crises and intervene safely and compassionately. I volunteer my time supporting peers, classmates, and community members by helping them identify what they are experiencing and guiding them to the resources they need. Whether it’s connecting someone to crisis hotlines, helping them find counseling, or simply offering a nonjudgmental ear, I take pride in offering immediate support to people in distress. For me, this is more than volunteering, this is a mission shaped directly by my own experiences with fear, confusion, and loneliness during my illness. As I continue my education and service, I also aspire to be a source of inspiration for children who are living with uncertainty about their own health. I want them to look at me and see someone who has survived the worst, someone who almost lost his life several times, yet still found a way forward. Today, I am back in school, building a future for myself, and embracing my roles as a new husband and a proud girl dad, all while managing a chronic illness. I want young people to see that despite the pain, despite the fear, and despite the unknown, it is possible not just to survive, but to build a life filled with purpose, love, and opportunity. Despite the challenges I’ve faced, I hope to use my education and lived experience to help young people who are struggling silently, just as I once did. Receiving this scholarship would not only support my academic goals but would also help me continue building the skills I need to serve my community with purpose, empathy, and compassion. Thank you for taking the time to read my essay!