Personal Statement -- Oct. My Life Story

Personal Statement -- Oct.

My life story thus far has not been the kind of existence most people my age have had to experience. From a very young age, I had to be the man of the family, supportive to those around me and a rock that others could rest their emotions on. When I was little, everyone who knew my father would remark how much I reminded them of him, particularly because of the blue eyes that I inherited from him. When I was eight years old, my father passed away and often it would hurt the people around me to look into my eyes. They would too often see him reflected on my face. So not only was I put into a difficult position by having lost my father, in a way I had to make up for his absence.

This taught me to be strong and to accept the position of leadership that was more or less thrust upon me. I remember one winter where my mother was out of work. My mother told us that Santa Claus may not be able to visit our house that year. The oldest of my siblings, I felt I had to do something. By this time, I knew the truth about Santa Claus but did not want our lack of finances disenchant my brothers and sisters. So, I took my life savings, which at the age of ten was only about $25 and went to the local Dollar Store. There I spent all my savings on various toys and candies for my siblings and my mother as well. I remember the look on her face that Christmas morning when the corner of our house with its little artificial tree was overburdened with packages. That moment lives on in my memory. I learned then that generosity was its own reward.

Then when I was twelve years old, I became seriously and mysteriously ill. After what felt like years of testing, it was discovered that I had a very rare form of cancer. It is a difficult life having to be in and out of hospitals all the time. The lights are always on somewhere so you are never in total darkness. At the same time, it is not nearly as comforting as sitting in the pitch black darkness of your own bedroom. There is a feeling in the hospital that something can and very likely will go on at any moment. It was a very challenging time. I was in a Purgatory and I had no clue when my deliverance would occur. Fortunately, I was not alone. I had an amazing medical team as well as a loving family.

I never gave up hope. There are many quotes out in the world about faith and belief and how if you have this in your life, you can always keep going. There is nothing so hard in this world as being very sick for a very long time. You are faced daily with the choice to either make the best of your sorry situation or to give up and dwell in self-pity. My mother taught me that each of us is the author of our own story and we choose whether we will be a hero or a victim. Although there were days that were very hard, I refused to be the victim of my life story.