My life was completely changed the summer my stepdad was officially diagnosed with ALS. My stepdad has been in my life since the age of three. In that time, he has grown to be a second father figure in my life that has provided for our family in more ways than one. Within a couple of months of his diagnosis, 30% of his body weight disappeared, and he lost mobility in his neck and partial mobility in his arms. I became hopeless and desperate for a way to make him comfortable in his own home. I began constructing accessibility devices that were either unavailable or too expensive so that he can resume his normal activities without feeling like a burden. Devices such as 3-D printing attachments for silverware, a neck brace, and many other orthotic devices. Crafting these during COVID and in school helped in determining what I want to pursue as a career path. I enjoy the technologies and ideas that stem from a problem, especially one so personal to me. I was able to use the resources and software available to me through school to help create these ideas and even use them as projects in my engineering class. However, the most satisfying outcome is seeing my stepdad enjoy eating a meal with his family again. Our entire family has made sacrifices trying to afford medical bills, medications, life-saving devices, and transportation. There have been times when my stepdad has refused to go to a hospital because of the imminent medical bill and transportation that would follow. Because I take care of him full-time, my mom currently does not have to pay for an in-home caregiver. Unfortunately, because I am leaving for college in the fall, she must now find the means to pay for a full-time caregiver while she is working and my siblings are at school. They are now in the process of getting a divorce so he can receive government assistance and receive the care he needs without impoverishing our family. ALS has presented a plethora of financial burdens that have caused us to give up almost every comfort or luxury item so he can live comfortably, in his own home. This scholarship will help tremendously in relieving the financial burden placed on my family and helping me attend school. I believe I have the opportunity to make the world a better place, especially for those facing debilitating diseases.