I have faced devastating hardships in the past year. As I helped to care for my mother during the last few months of her life, my father left our family with no income to provide for our family. Last July, my mother went into hospice and passed away after becoming increasingly ill over the last several years, leaving me and my twin brother alone in a crumbling house. Not only were we devastated by her loss, but also distraught as she had no life insurance, leaving us destitute.

Thankfully, our older brother took us into his nearby trailer home while we complete our senior year in high school. My twin brother and have worked hard at our jobs at Walmart to make ends meet. Our aunt has also helped to provide essentials and encouragement to reach high for our goals.

The timing of the events in the past year has been challenging, as me and my twin brother both want to go to college. Despite the obstacles I faced with my mother’s passing, and the school system enforcing at-home learning due to Covid during my junior year of high school during the time she was very ill, I’ve maintained an A average in school by studying hard.

Before this tragedy, I had no concept of the value of life insurance. My mother didn’t expect to lose her life to a disease and could not imagine how it would tear our lives apart. I’ve been told that if my mother would have taken out a life insurance policy, my brother and I would be able to use the money to help pay for college. Without that, we are working as hard as possible at our jobs and applying for financial aid, however that will not cover all the costs of attending college. Our lives would have turned out differently if she would have had life insurance, as we would have been able to afford food, clothing, shelter, and support for college rather than not having essential needs and worrying about how we will pay for college.

My challenges were a great teacher, and the lessons I learned will be with me forever. I learned that I am stronger than I ever imagined, and at the end of the day the most important thing in life is the laughter and love we share with one another. I learned that as deep as my heart can feel pain and loss, it can also feel pure joy and gratitude. I learned that in silent moments, I can be alone with myself and feel at peace. Being active outside has also helped me to heal.

I am excited to become a college student and achieve my goals of graduating with a degree in biology so that I can help others be healthier.

I hope you agree that the growth from my experience would help me to make a genuine contribution at a university. Thank you for your consideration of a scholarship award.

My name is Cassie Carter and I’m from a small town in Texas named Argyle. The past 18 years of my life have been less than conventional. After my parents divorce my mom started finding enjoyment in other men, which quickly would become her downfall. After remarrying 5 times in her 48 years, carrying me on her shoulders, my mom woke up on a warm Tuesday morning in August just 6 days before my first day of senior year and decided to take her life. She had also been dealt the hand of a hard life. During her 3rd marriage, she silently battled a violent relationship linked to the addiction of alcohol and drugs. Making the reality of domestic violence that more real, her husband would eventually beat my mom up to the point of no recognition and shoot her twice in the back proceeding to then kill himself afterwards. She always questioned if God saving her that day was a good thing, because the hard part was to follow; depression and PTSD. As a 12 year old hiding in the shadows while this was happening, it was something that will forever have an effect on my life, and further remove what childhood I had left. Additionally everything that made my mom herself was gone, coated with trauma and pain.
The past 6 months have given me time to reflect on what my mom was thinking that day and I have come to the consensus she simply wanted the pain to stop. Days after my mothers passing, I learned that no life insurance was left and the funeral costs were expected to be paid out of pocket. Also summing up the reality that any funds for the future put in place were not existent. My mother had made no arrangements, including not writing a will. If my mom had life insurance not only would it take the pressure off paying for tuition but even the smaller things like groceries and gas. Now it’s up to my single dad to pay for the next 4 years of college, which is impossible without scholarships. I recently put my 2 weeks notice in as a host at a restaurant, because my dad started working more hours allowing me to focus on my grades. My goal for a long time has been to be a nurse. I was born with an ear deformity and partial deafness making the hospital a familiar place. Recently, I have this new found passion to pursue a nursing career that particularly has to do with mental health. My mother always pushed me to attend college because she had not. I have worked hard to apply and have received acceptances to 3 colleges. This is the Lord’s way of saying that life does not end when everything else feels like it does. However, what this life has taught me is to not put things off, even with the risk of failure, I’d rather fail than have not tried at all.