Day to day I think about how I am successful in school and out of school, and then I realize it is because of the motivation my elder half brother gives me. My brother is nineteen years old, he is tall, buff, has brown hair, and brown eyes. My brother doesn’t only motivate me to do good in, and out of school, but him his self is one of the most hardworking, determined, and caring persons I know. He’s not only a brother to me, but he’s also my best friend.
One night when my brother came home from football practice, I could see that he had been working hard. Sweat running down his face, mud all over his football uniform.

“ God, Im so tired, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.” He didn’t even have to say anything. Just by the look in his face, I could see it right in his eyes that he was exhausted. Even after coming home very late from school because of football practice he was very responsible about his school work. Even after many challenges he faced, he still had the courage to do the things he needed to do for a brighter future. As a child, my brother crossed the Mexican border with the help of my mother, Both of them were struggling, but my brother was only one year old when he came to the United States. He wasn’t a United States citizen until he was eighteen years old during the summer of 2014. He wasn’t the smartest kid out there. He literally had to start all the way from the bottom because he didn’t know how to speak English. Even though he wasn’t the greatest kid growing up, somehow he managed to find his way through his difficulties. He loves football. He put his everything just to do what he does now. My brother, Gerardo went to Fremd High School in Palatine, IL, but on his senior year he moved to California with my dad, and graduated over there at James Logan High School. My brother got a scholarship for playing football, and plays for UCLA. I look at him, and ask myself, “ How the hell has ge gone so far in life?’’. He once told me, “ Melanie, you can be anything you want. Don’t let people tell you otherwise.’’. And I believe he is 100% correct because if he did what he wanted, that means I can do it.
Not too long ago my elder brother’s dad died. His dad was an alcoholic, and I think that he just wasn’t happy with his life because he had many problems. His dad would constantly worry about his mother because he didn’t have the money he needed to help out his mother. He was unemployed, and he lived in the streets. I guess that at the end he lost his mind, and went psycho because he didn’t know what to do, and he killed himself. I remember the day his dad killed himself, and my mom didn’t have the guts to tell him. She was so terrified by the idea of how my brother would react, but she had to anyway. My mother told him, and the situation didn’t go so well.

“ How? What? You’re lying right? ”. I could see tears running down his face like a waterfall. Watching him break down really broke my heart. My brother lost his dad, but he knows we will always be there for him. He has faced many interferences in his life, but he is always determined to do better to make my parents happy. He was very depressed at some point of his life because of the death of his father, but even then, he never stopped doing what he had to do to be successful in life. No matter what the situation was he always asked how I was doing.
“ Mels, how was your day bro?”. I would respond saying I was doing just fine even though at times I wasn’t doing great, but compared to his situations in his life I was doing just fine. I then realized that my brother was going through very hard times. Knowing that he never gave up on his goals to become a better football player, and knowing that he didn’t stop doing what he loved to do because of his problems made me realize that my problems in life were not that bad compared to his problems in life, and it also made me realize that he was strong as a rock no matter what the situation was in his life. From this I learned that my obstacles shouldn’t stop me from doing what I love to do.

Sometimes I feel like giving up on life. Going to the gymnastics academy and having so many things to do in one day is very stressful. Sometimes I feel like giving up on gymnastics because I can’t get a new skill, but he gives me the strength to get back up on my feet to do better. I remember one time when I was at a gymnastics competition outside of school, and I was doing my floor routine. I remember that I did a front flip and I didn’t land it correctly. I got red as a tomato. I didn’t know what to do, and I literally was frozen like an ice cube, embarrassed and humiliated because I did not know what the hell to do. I guess my brother noticed that I needed a little more encouragement to get up and start doing whatever came to me. He shouted all the way from the bleachers, “ Common Melanie, you can do this! ”. I was really brave to keep on going with my floor routine, and I got back on my feet, and started to make up new moves for my floor routine. I felt really confident, and after all I got a really good score for my floor routine and it was a 8.5. I was really surprised with the score I got for my floor routine. I was really proud of myself. Even though that day I did really good in my gymnastics competition I really wanted to quit gymnastics. I felt like it was too much for me, and I would tell my mom about what I was deciding to do with gymnastics and she would always tell me that it was my choice, but on the other hand my brother would tell me that I couldn’t quit. \

“ Melanie, you can’t give up now. You have worked so hard just to get to where you are now.”

His words are like magic. His words are like magic because whenever he gives me advice I become stronger, mentally and physically. Many times I have argued with him for many stupid reasons. I remember when I got mad at my brother because he kept agreeing with my mom about not letting me hang with my guy friends.

“ If we do not let you do something, it is for your best because we know what is best for you, and we care about you.”. I would usually think my mom doesn’t let me go out because she is so strict, but knowing that my brother and my mother care about what I do really matters to me because it makes me feel good and safe.

Whether I am feeling down or not, if I ever need to tell my brother something he is always there for me. Maybe now if I ever feel like giving up on something, I won’t and I’ll have a little more motivation because I know my brother will be here for me no matter what. He has made me a stronger person because I know that I don’t have it that bad. To be honest, I would never trade him for anyone else. He is my brother, he is my best friend.