I still remember waking up early that morning. I loved being the first one awake, and as the youngest, I'm sure it wasn't something my siblings were fighting me for. And what was not to love? I would get the first choice of Pop-tarts, and would still have time to watch Looney-Tunes-Show with my mom before school. But that Tuesday, I didn't see my mom drinking her coffee, or my dad still asleep on the couch. I saw my Grandma, sitting alone. This wasn't really Grandma. She wasn't rushing over to hug me or showering me in her endless love, she was sitting where my mom always sat, staring blankly. I was only eight and surely didn't understand what happened that day, but something I know is that when my dad came home an hour later with my grandpa, it was like I was meeting two strangers. All I knew was crying, because I was told I would never see my best friend again. Nine-years later, I'm still crying. But as I wipe the tears away, I do realize something. Living in a single-parent-household has molded me into who I am. Everyday when I come home and my dad smiles and tries to talk to me even when it's obvious neither of us want to speak, I understand that one day I want to be him. I wish that I could give everything I have in this world to know if my mom is proud of me. But the reality is that I will never know, just as my mom will never see how my dad has become the strongest, most dedicated, most loving person on this planet. He has given his all to me and my siblings. He knows that she is watching us, and I know, I truly know, that she is proud of him. And that is how my mom's death continues to shape me, because my goal is to be like my dad. Someday I want someone to look at my life and what I have done, and be as certain as I am about my dad, that my mom is proud of me. That the woman who would spend what little free time she to walk dogs at the shelter, or volunteer with our church at the soup kitchen, would look at her son and be happy, and be proud of who she helped create.

One way I stayed optimistic through tough times was by relying on close family and friends to help lift me up. I remember when my mom passed, I was devastated and confused. Especially as a child, you immediately gain this sense of isolation as if you are the only person in the world going through this terrible thing. But as time passed and I began to open up to others about how I was feeling, I began to see that other people actually cared about my situation. I could have easily pushed them away and slumped into an even deeper depression, but instead, I began to realize that in order to grow, I had to be positive and hope for a better future. The way I got through the toughest time in my life was not by bottling up my feelings and pretending as if nothing happened, but rather by talking to my loved ones and using them as rocks to which I could build myself into a stronger person. What staying optimistic through tough times has taught me is that at your moment when you feel most vulnerable, and alone, and sad; When everything in your life seems to be falling apart and you just want to hideaway, that is when it is most important to reach out to your support system. I learned that everyone, whether or not they know it, has people who deeply love and care about them, and it is these people who will help you stay positive and get through it.

My favorite book is "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson. This book is special to me because it tells the stories of one very influential man, Bryan Stevenson. Stevenson is a defense lawyer who has spent the last 40 years fighting for those who are underrepresented or discriminated against in our criminal justice system, especially those facing capital punishment. "Just Mercy" highlights individual cases of prejudice taken by Mr. Stevenson and shows how only with extreme grit and determination can such instances of blatant discrimination be conquered. One particularly moving case was that of Walter McMillian. Walter was a black man from Monroeville, Alabama who in 1987 was sentenced to death for a murder to which he did not commit. What was so enlightening about this case was that Walter had over a dozen witnesses to positively confirm his alibi and consequently rule out any involvement in the crime. Yet the confirmation bias, obtrusive racism, and pressure to find and convict the murder led to tens of police and public officials to lie and manipulate a jury into killing an innocent man. Fortunately, the diligence and persistence of Mr. Stevenson saved Walter's life. Yet this was not until he had already spent six years of his life on death row and had received such severe mental abuse and trauma that would later manifest in early-onset dementia. The story of a man's life that was utterly ruined simply for the color of his skin is such a tragedy and evokes such empathy that allows for "Just Mercy" to be elevated as my favorite book. This memoir reminds me that we are all in this together and that we all have a responsibility to fight for justice. But finally, this book helped me learn that each and every one of us deserves mercy.

My dream life is one where I and those around me are happy. I have goals of becoming a surgeon in order to help those who need it most. By becoming a surgeon, I would have the opportunity to give hope and possibly a sense of solace to the most vulnerable among us. My dream is to be responsible for saving people's lives and reuniting families with the hope brought with good health. I dream of having a loving family, a family that stays together no matter what. Yet finally, I dream of a world where I can influence everyone around me to be the best versions of themselves. I intend to make all those I met throughout my life feel the welcoming love of empathy and kindness. Every person on this planet can make a positive impact on the world, and my goal is to help as many of them as I can do just that.

My playlist is based around Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" in that all are songs of unity and love. These songs inspire me to be a more empathetic and wholesome person with their infectious message of power in harmony. When listening to such uplifting songs, one can not help but be engulfed by their kind-spirited nature. But the most potent reason I am so inspirited by this collection of tracks can be summarized by a quote from Marvin Gaye himself. "War is not the answer, because only love can conquer hate."

After years of hard work, I became the first person in the history of my High School Swimming men's team to break a team record as a freshman. This race symbolized a culmination of the immense dedication I have given to the sport of swimming and to my team. Against the pain and difficulty of this sport, I was able to reach my goal through hard work and commitment.