At Anderson College, we are constantly amazed by the courage of our students, faculty, and staff. In December 2021 we ran a “My Courageous Moment” story-gathering campaign to celebrate our students, their strength, the moments that have defined their lives and the people who have motivated them to overcome and succeed.
In sharing our stories, we realize we are not alone and are often inspired to recognize, or to find, our own extraordinary courage. We hope the following story moves you, as it has our Anderson family.
This is not simply a story of compassion, or one of science fiction; this story is about empowerment and how a normal mom found inspiration and strength from her son and started her life over from scratch.
Immigration is always a challenging process but is it even more difficult when you arrive and discover your life is a castle built of cards, riddled with domestic violence. Sometimes we see violence as something that happens to ‘other people’ and we are incapable of believing it could ever happen to us. However, if it ever does, escape at the first sign. But what happens if the type of violence you’re facing isn’t physical, but comes in the form of psychological manipulation? It lacerates your soul, your self-esteem little by little. What happens when that hurt comes from the one with whom you started a family, have a son with and for whom you left your country and family behind for? And all because that person has a problem: an addiction to alcohol.
“The decision to leave is not an easy one to make, especially when fear dominates us.”
The decision to leave is not an easy one to make, especially when fear dominates us. We feel the contradiction within – wanting to escape but also wanting to help the person who is the father of our child. That is the moment when we must think about the wellbeing of our little one, the one who should always be our priority. We have angels in the form of social workers that remind us that we are responsible for the patterns of behavior that our children will imitate in the future. That is when we leave everything behind, to seek emotional stability for our little ones as we build it within ourselves. And yes, I lived in a shelter; I know the feeling of being supported by people you don’t know but who become angels in your life.
“To be reborn, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, is always possible, more so if you have people who listen to you and tell you, ‘I believe in you, I’m here for YOU.’”
My son, even though he is only 8 years old, is such a gentleman, and cares about me. He knows that every girl is a flower that needs to be treated with respect, and every night he tells me how proud he is of his mom. Now I’m studying at Anderson College to become a Medical Laboratory Technician, an opportunity that brings me along a new path in my life. Without a doubt, after every storm there is the magic of a rainbow. To be reborn, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, is always possible, more so if you have people who listen to you and tell you, “I believe in you, I’m here for YOU.”
No matter how difficult life becomes, there are always pathways lit with hope that will help us get ahead, if we look for them and follow. Never give up!
Yadiana T.
If you have a passion for people and want to make a difference, but are still exploring whether this career may be for you, take the “Medical Professional Career Discovery Quiz”.
To learn more about our Medical Lab Sciences programs or our other 30+ leading-edge programs to help you take life to the next level of success, book a virtual appointment with our Admissions team today!
