While I have not lost someone so significant as a parent or a spouse, I recognized the space left in my heart from a lossed relative at a young age. A cousin that I truly admired (he was with tennis as I was with golf) passed away young, (leukemia) in his early 30’s. I recognized my cousin’s huge impact by watching all of my relatives/loved ones in those months. Around this time my mom would drive us 30 minutes from our home so we could go to a better school. It was at this age (1st grade) that I realized education was extremely important. I recognized the love and importance of relatives once again when my grandpa passed (prostate cancer) in 2016. The next year my dad was diagnosed with a rare disease called Arnold Chiari Malformation. He could no longer work as a nurse and underwent skull surgery in 2018. My mom took a 2nd job as a property manager but by August 2018 we were homeless in the city that my mom’s new job was in while we waited for housing. I was living in a campsite for a month in the middle of starting 9th grade (In America you’re only allowed to be at a campsite for 30 days in a year) and after that we lived in our Toyota Tundra. My little brother and I always managed to be at school on time (we would get up at 6 am to be sure to get a spot in the campsite showers) and we would do our homework by the truck overhead light or the camp lantern in our tent. We both made honor roll that year. I was one of two to make the golf varsity team that year. Thankfully we were not homeless by 2019. No matter what our family was going through my parents always stressed that education was key. All along my parents were entering us in tournaments and we were good enough to consistently be in the top 10. Not long after this my grandma was diagnosed with stomach cancer and everyone thought she would pass. She fought through that cancer and is still alive today. Last year my (step) grandpa was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer - the same cancer my great grandma died of. I instantly had fear and anxiety. This man that did not “have to” love me…always loved me. Grandpa George eventually became a golf course executive in maintenance. He never missed my milestones or a birthday. He is on his last chemo treatment and everyone that loves him wishes that he will go into remission. This same year of finding out about my grandpa (2022) I received the Perseverance award and a scholarship to a school all the way across the country. (Born and raised in California - FPU is in New Hampshire). It was exciting and scary. All of my family members struggling with health issues are hoping for nothing but the best for me. I have a burning desire to make all of these people proud of me. I concentrate on my goal of succeeding every morning because I use that will to fight for a successful life, to break the poverty chain, to begin a successful line of my name. I think of everyone that has supported me - my parents and our household doing “without” some things so we can enter a tournament or buy equipment. I watched my parents struggle - at times without realizing it - so that my brother and I had a club or gloves, or breakfast…. Or the gas to get to a tournament. It is not lost on me any longer how much my parents put Faith in their kids’ future. I admire so much that you are giving to the dreamers. I am very sorry for your struggles as I know how you feel. I wish you nothing but the bestest that life can give you.

I started playing golf as soon as I could walk. My parents would take me to fields and parks to let me hit balls for fun. Later on I began competing on the US Kids tour until I turned 12, where I switched to the JGANC tour. I was on my high school golf team all four years, becoming captain my senior year. I have golfed almost every day of my 18 years. It has affected all aspects of my life with the intention to get a scholarship for college and become a pro on the PGA tour. I was accepted to university with an academic scholarship so I’m right on track. Through golf I’ve learned manners, etiquette, compassion and perseverance - all of which I employ everyday and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. My parents are economically challenged so I’ve also learned that where there’s a will, there’s a way. Golf involves a lot of patience and dedication which I used throughout my schooling years and I will use this for my college years. Golf has taught me critical thinking skills and I know this has been an advantage for me amongst my peers. On the course and through competition I’ve met a lot of wonderful people and these contacts continue to inspire and impart knowledge to me that I would never have received without the game. Through golf I have a deep bond with my brother, who also plays. We have spent more time together than most siblings because we play this awesome sport together. We will always be very close. Playing golf has meant that I’m around mostly adults all my life which I believe led to a maturity level that I otherwise would not have had. Golf is a sport that can be played alone and for an entire lifetime - I have no doubt all the lessons it has taught me will last throughout my life.

Just before my freshman year of high school my family and I were homeless. In April 2018 my dad had skull surgery to save his life and by August we were homeless as my mom waited for a place to be available per her employment contract (unforeseen legal complications arose for her new employer). This period lasted a few months, where we stayed at a campground and then later, our Toyota Tundra. I never missed a day of school and would do my homework by battery lantern light or the dome light of the truck. I am a competition golfer so I continued to practice golf everyday even though we couldn’t afford to enter any competitions that year. I made honor roll and a spot on the varsity golf team. This experience instilled the desire to be financially stable. I learned instantly that it’s necessary to have a nest egg. Within a heartbeat employment income can be gone and the responsible act is to save for the hardships that we're not planning for.

My parents have been my inspiration as they are my biggest supporters and never stop telling me it’s possible to achieve my goals. Their interest in golf and education kept my dream alive everyday. Watching the family struggle financially to support us kids buying golf equipment and entering tournaments inspired me to do my best, care about grades and make sure I do what I can to thank my family and honor the game of golf. In 2018 my dad had skull surgery and we were homeless a few months later. Even homeless I completed all schoolwork, at night I did homework by the front seat dome light, never missed school and practiced golf everyday. Thankfully, we had a place after a few months. This experience taught me a lot about life and about continuing to work hard through the setbacks. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are also inspirational icons. Not only because they are two of the greats but they are both colorblind like me. Knowing that colorblindness isn’t a disability but maybe an advantage has made me embrace an issue that made me different from everyone else. My little brother is a huge supporter - even though he competes in the same things and is on the same high school team as I - he never gets envious and always congratulates me when I excel. Just watching and learning from the all the people that have cared about me has been inspiring.