Euless, TX
Victoria sees her adoptive mom as a caring selfless woman living with multiple sclerosis. Victoria never had the experience of going bike riding with her mom or being chased around the playground in games of tag because MS robbed her mother of the ability to walk. As the disease took a toll on her mother mentally, Victoria became accustomed to occasionally being called the wrong name or her mother forgetting dates. However, she was able to gain significant traits from her mother such as a giving spirit and compassion for others. “My mother remains busy keeping our house spotless and my meals tasty despite the never ending pain she endures,” says Victoria. “My mother is not defined by her illness.” Her mother’s determination and strength are the catalysts for Victoria pursuing a college education. She plans to attend the University of Oregon to earn a master’s degree in environmental science so she can achieve her goal of traveling to the Amazon Rain Forest to help repair environmental damage in the area.