“Never let bad moments or difficult experiences bring you down.”
My name is Daliany Gerena. I’ve had a few difficult experiences that have made me who
I am today .These of these experiences that have made me stronger include: helping my mom through cancer, immigrating to New York from Puerto Rico, and living with muscular
dystrophy. These experiences have taught me many things about resilience, perseverance, and dedication in all areas of my life, both at school and home.
One day my mom and dad came into my room where I was watching TV. Both of
them looked very sad and gloomy. I was about eight years old, and we were living in Puerto Rico at that time. I got a bit scared because my grandpa at that time was sick and I thought something had happened. My mom started telling me, “I’m okay and everything but… I have cancer.”When she said it, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. I wanted to do so many things, but I just froze. What I wanted to do the most was to give up with everything I had ever accomplished. I knew I couldn’t give up on my mom so I had to be resilient and keep on going. My journey had just begun.
I started learning more about what my mom had. She went to many doctor appointments.
I knew I had to be strong and support my mom so I did. After many appointments and tests, the doctors told my mom there was no hope. She had Stage 4 cancer and in Puerto Rico they couldn’t treat her. I was devastated and all I wanted to do was to die with her. My mom knew I needed her; she always told me she wasn’t going to give up on me.
My dad found a cancer hospital in New York City called Sloan Kettering Memorial. This
meant we had to leave Puerto Rico. This was very hard for me because I had my whole family in Puerto Rico. My mom and dad had to leave first because I wasn’t finished with school yet. I always missed my parents and was worried because my mom had some surgeries while I was in Puerto Rico. Finally, the day to go to New York had come.
When I arrived in New York, I was very excited. At first I really liked New York; I thought it was going to be just like the movies I had seen, and at first it actually was. My mom had recovered well from her surgery. My parents took me to Times Square. They also took me to Central Park, and many other places that made New York look amazing and beautiful like a fairytale. Then reality came back..
After I came to New York I was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. This is a neuromuscular disease that damages your muscles. Many people have lost their ability to walk because of this disease. I had to go through some surgeries to fix my feet. This was the first time I faced really bad physical pain. Again I wanted to give up but my mom never let me. She was the one who really taught me resilience. I had to wear a cast for a few months. Then I had to wear metal braces to hold my feet and it was very uncomfortable. I kept being resilient and I learned to appreciate what I have, because it could have been worse.
While I was recovering from my surgery and about to start school, my mom’s cancer came back. It was very hard for me because I couldn’t help my mom as much as I wanted to. My mom and I were both going through a lot of pain in those months. This was the most painful surgery my mom had ever had. I really felt bad I couldn’t help her. After all of this passed, it was time to start school in New York.
Thinking about school in New York was very scary to me. People spoke another language. Also, I had to leave all my friends in Puerto Rico. Another challenge for me was that I had to read 25 books in the whole school year. I like reading but I mostly read in Spanish, so it made it very hard for me. All of my teachers always encouraged me to read aloud and to study a lot. I started making many friends and school wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I passed the 4th and 5th grade with good grades. Now it was time for graduation. My school was only grades K to 5th so after I graduated I had to go to another school. After many applications for private schools and public schools, it came down to only one school: TI Charter. I got in, so now this was going to be my school.
The first months of TI were hard for me because I had to go to school with a cast after another surgery on my foot. At first, I didn’t make friends but then I made some. I worked very hard academically and got good grades. I really love TI. All the teachers are very nice and helpful. Now I’m almost done with 6th grade.
It has already been two years since my mom got cancer last. I’m very happy about that. I really hope she keeps doing fine. I need to have another surgery on my foot so the process is still going. Also, school is going great, I really like my school. We can never give up in life.
We have to be resilient because if we do give up, we will fail. Hard experiences can’t let us
down. Being resilient was really worth it. This was the story of my life. I have shared my story because all of these situations that I have written about in this essay are the ones that have brought me to New York, and being in TI Charter has given me the opportunity to enter this diversity conference. I really would like to go to this conference because I really like challenges, I like to work hard as a student, and I am resilient so I will never give up.
If I am selected to attend the Hilltop diversity conference I would volunteer to share with my homeroom how it was and what happened. This is why I think I should be chosen for the
diversity conference.
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