Alison D.

My childhood has always been a sensitive subject for me. Born to a mother who was addicted to drugs and a father who was addicted to gambling, I did not have the childhood most children dream of. When I was only three years old, social services removed me from the family nest because of my parents' addiction problems. Thus, I was placed with my grandmother until I came of age. This event had a big impact on my life. At the time, it was difficult for me to understand the reason why I was not allowed to see my parents on a daily basis like most of my classmates. It was difficult for me to understand this new way of life that I had not chosen. Throughout my youth, I worked hard to maintain a meaningful connection with my parents. Although we do not live together, they have always been an inspiration to me. My mom was my confidant and my best friend. We held an important bond despite the circumstances of the past.

In 2018, my mom developed numerous health issues due to her alcoholism. These took her life on March 19, 2019. Being 19 years old, this bereavement brought me wounds and incomprehension. On the other hand, it has also given me tremendous strength and resilience to be the person I am now. His death was a turning point in my life. I have grown and evolved considerably as a result of this event. It confirmed the path I wanted to take. In fact, it is far from the one I knew.

My mother had no life insurance. Because of this, my sisters and I had to pay the entire cost of her death. This left us with a lot of debt. As a result, I have to work hard to get back on track financially. To this day, I see the importance of having a life insurance policy, which would have given us financial protection and saved us from many financial worries.

To achieve my goals, I relate to the fact that I am the only one in my family to have access to a post-secondary education. The idea of going above and beyond to prove that it is not the environment you are born into that defines who you are pushes me a little more every day.

For me, education is important, but I have to do it on my own to continue my education. Since I have no financial support, I have to work more to support myself. I go to school full time and work two jobs totaling thirty hours a week to do so. However, perseverance and determination allow me to pursue my dream of being a social worker.

 Every day, I hold on to it. In the future, I will accompany people like me who have difficulty finding their way through a dysfunctional environment.