I was born on January 15th, 1999. That’s when it all began. My parents were both horridly sick when they had me. They had to wear masks around me, until all was well. No one really knew how they’d supply for me on their own; they didn’t have very much money. Life was a struggle for all of us. I was supplied for by other family members rather than my own parents. Our family grew closer due to the fact that I was a new born and needed help in order to survive. They had no choice, other than to do so. Whether I would stay with my parents or not was already questionable.

From age’s three to six, my parent’s fist fought and argued every day, right in front of me. Whether it was over cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, Or who would get to eat that day. They used every ounce of money they had in order to feed me, and have clothes for me. We moved more than anyone I know. About every 3 weeks due to the fact that we couldn’t afford anything. One night it all went down, I was six years old. My parents were fist fighting, while I was hiding underneath the kitchen table. My mom was trying to take me to a homeless shelter. My father refused to let her, as he called my grandmother, Paula Wheeler. Once Paula came and picked me up, I never thought it’d be the last night I’d see my parents, for a long time. Next thing I know, my parents no longer had custody of me, and my grandmother did.

Life with Paula was rather fun, from the start, although I missed my parents a lot. About two months later, I got to talk to my mother and father. They wanted to take me to the park, but my grandma wouldn’t allow it. This is because the visits then had to be supervised, due to the fact that they no longer had custody of me. The supervised visits caused many arguments, and dysfunctional friendships. Life was rather confusing for me, so much at that age. I had no idea, what life had in store for me, everything was just so backwards. I thought it was normal, I thought that every kid had to deal with that.

From age ten on, my grandma and I started arguing. I began having unsupervised visits with my parents; they still fought and argued, my mom and I hung out all the time. Life began getting a little easier on me, I felt more in place. I was going to move in with my parents the summer of 2011. At this point I was at the age of twelve. That summer, on June 30th 2011, my mother died. I got taken into counseling, and began having panic attacks every day; I figured that because my mom had passed, that I was going too, too. My dream every night from that day on, still to this day, is the funeral and seeing my mom in her casket. That was my biggest nightmare, which I feel as if I still haven’t, woke up from, it’s never ending. I was in shock, I joined a teens grieving group, for ones that’d lost their parents, It didn’t really help.

Within the next few months, I lost my aunt Diane, My guinea pig, Grandma Lillian, Great grandma Sheldon, Aunt Susie, etc. I’ve lost about 16 family members without exaggeration. I am now at the age of 15; my dad has been in rehab about twice. He’s been diagnosed with a severe case of chromes disease. Right before surgery he was granted disability. Although even after surgery, he’s still not in a very well state of matter. He has to have surgery again, after this I don’t know where we’ll be, he and I don’t have a very well relationship.

Back when I was in middle school I was bullied, which added on to the pain, so much was going on, but out of it all and looking back on everything I know that I’ve made it and that I’m a strong woman, I can survive anything that comes my way. I’ve got to focus on school, and pursuing my writing career. I’m now officially a marching band sophomore, at Fairdale high school. I make honor roll and perfect attendance; I plan on carrying out my career and focusing on writing books, that may help other children out and with their struggles in life. Life’s been a struggle, I still have hurt, I still think about all I have seen and been through, but I learn to cope with the struggle, because life’s good, and I’m here for a purpose, and I have got to learn to make the best of it all.

The two people who have helped me out the most through it all is my aunt Kim, age 18, and little cousin Madison, age 13. Every time I was down or upset they were there in a heartbeat without a doubt. Without them, I don’t think I’d be doing as well as I am now. Some people have dealt with 10 times more stuff than I have, and I wish them the best, because life can be hard to handle at times, but you can make it!

I am still carrying out in counseling, I’m trying to fix my relationship with my grandma. I’m following in my Aunt Kim’s footsteps on my way to college. I’m hoping to be like her one day. With every dream comes an even bigger dreamer. Where there’s a will there’s a way. I’ve been through a journey, and I’m waiting to see where each and every wakening day brings me. And until then I’ll carry on each and every day out with pride and joy, because I’m here and I have made it as far as I have came and am today.