I will never forget the agonal cry of my mother followed by the blaring car horn, seconds before the course of my life would be changed forever. Gasoline or acrid fumes from deployed airbags plagued the air around me as I was pulled out of the crushed vehicle and placed onto a stretcher to be flown to the hospital, with the words “Would I live to see another day” tormenting my mind. Viewing Earth miles high from the window of the life flight helicopter, I experienced emotions I had never felt, not knowing how to process the accident caused by another driver. My left leg was swelling rapidly and the pain became increasingly relevant as time passed, until I reached the hospital, being diagnosed with a broken femur, an injury that would end my karate career and all sport activities. An individual practicing unsafe and reckless driving behavior changed my life in a matter of seconds, and because of this my life would never be the same.  

Following a successful surgery, I was released from the hospital with three scars, a wheelchair, and a strong sense of misdirection. Despite being able to express myself playing music, nothing compared to the adrenaline rush of competition or celebrating victory with my teammates. I had attempted every activity I was capable of in my handicapped condition, frustrated to find I couldn't fulfill the primal urge, the longing for action and sweat. Yet after extended rehabilitation and hundreds of attempts to get back on my feet, I regained walking ability, yet I didn't feel recovered. Time passed as I sat on the sidelines and feelings of missing out began feeling normal, that is until I discovered competitive swimming.

Swimming provided a low-impact means of physical exertion and mode to recover atrophied muscle. Although an exciting prospect, I faced the challenge of fitting into a team that had been swimming nearly their entire lives with a significant edge over me. This paired with moving from middle to high-school environments provided an opportunity; a clean slate where I could learn and prove my worth on a team I would pursue to the fullest—besides teaching me to be a stronger swimmer, my time on the team taught me the value of hard work, goal setting, merit, and the importance of surrounding myself with like individuals who foster success from a wider scale down to the individual.

Since then, I have been able to apply the skills learned in the pool, the classroom, and various aspects of my life to drive change and support my family. Besides the physical impact my leg withstood, the psychological and financial impacts have been some that no amount of physical therapy or surgery can remedy. Savings drained on medical expenses. Undue trauma that Mom and Dad will have to live with for the rest of their lives. So I have done and continue to do everything in my power, I’ve made it my life’s mission to succeed in my endeavors and to give them peace of mind by presenting them with the opportunity to start anew. My part in this going forward involves attaining my college education at the lowest possible cost, with the objective of not adding anymore to the financial strain.

 I have maintained a high academic profile to ensure I make the most of my relatively brief time attending Texas A&M hoping to promote future opportunities in the form of internships, potential jobs, and individual growth. While I’m currently unsure of the specific field I will pursue, I plan to expose myself to many different facets in the vast sector of business and politics by taking a versatile, well-rounded course curriculum, and establishing relationships with others to build understanding and pave the way for success in the given field. I aim to be successful in whichever path chosen, being able to support myself, those in my sphere, and minimizing the out-of-pocket cost by supplementing what cost my family and I can with the help of this scholarship. 

 I firmly believe we are products of our environment, whether it’s uplifting or berating, but we should not let negative circumstance define ourselves and future prospects. I always see the silver lining and do what I can to succeed; despite being unable to make up years lost to my injury, I’ve learned to make the most of the tools I'm given and the opportunities that come my way; This time I didn’t have just three scars, I had three scars and a story of perseverance, growth, and maturing in the face of a circumstance that taught me the value of seizing a moment, an opportunity, and having hope, despite all seeming lost.