Have you ever wondered how life could possibly go on after losing the person you love the most in the world? Or worse the only person you have in the world? It was exactly a month before my 18th birthday when I received the phone call that completely changed my life. It was a chilly, gray October afternoon in Los Angeles, California and I had just gotten home from school. I answered the phone on the second ring, never expecting what was to come, the lady from the hospital told me my mother had died in a car crash. At the moment I sensed like my world had completely crashed. I felt weak, destroyed, devastated, and most of all, alone. She was all I had; my father had left us when I was six years old. I had a few memories about him and for the most part they were good. My mother never really gave me a clear explanation on why exactly he had left us, but I never expected to see him again so I never bothered to ask.
After my mother’s death I felt like life just couldn't go on but I knew I had to stay strong. I continued to attend school but when I found a job as a waitress at a local diner, I was forced to drop out of school. It was my final year of high school and I was on my way to a perfect 4.0 GPA. Dropping out was the last thing I wanted to do but I had no one but myself to depend on and I truly needed the money. To make matters worse the bank took away my childhood home. The one I had grown up in, celebrated every single Christmas in and most importantly spent every afternoon with my mother in. There were so many marvelous memories in that home and that sweet welcoming smell my mother seem to always carry with her was engraved in all its furniture. It was very difficult seeing all that being snatched away forever. With barely any money, I had no other choice but to move into a small, dingy one bedroom apartment in Compton, California. The neighborhood was horrific, there were gangs everywhere, homeless people on every corner, and I would constantly hear police sirens.
Money was so tight; I could barely afford the rent and I was only eating once a day. I looked awful; my long brown hair was now always knotted up and greasy. My light brown eyes no longer sparkled, and I must have lost twenty pounds since my mother’s death. I was never happy anymore and was sure I would never be. Memories of my mom’s comforting voice made me miss her oh so much. Since I was little I had loved going to the beach and aquarium. The sea life just completely fascinated me and I had promised myself to become a marine biologist. Those dreams seemed so out of reach at that time. I didn't like to think about the future because for me I knew as much as I wanted to succeed, these challenges would be so hard to overcome. I was just so young yet so alone in this immense world, the only thing I had was hope. I spent Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, and Easter all alone. My heart ached, all I could think about was my mother, and things just seemed to be getting worse. The only thing that kept me going was my faith for a better tomorrow.
Then one breezy, sunny June afternoon I heard a knock at my door, it was my father. At first I didn't recognize this tall, brown haired, green eyed man but when he spoke his voice so kind and sweet; I knew it had to be him. From the few memories I had about him I remembered that no matter how angry he was he would always keep such a calm voice. My emotions were all mixed up at the sight of him. I was angry that he had left us but at the same time relieved knowing that I would no longer have to be alone. He explained to me that the reason he abandoned us was because all he was, was a burden on my mother. He had no work back then and she had to maintain him. It was a cowardly move of him but after everything I had been through I was too tired to argue with him and just forgave him. He promised me that everything would be okay and he would help me overcome everything I had been through. In no time I was back in school and had my GED. With his construction business booming he was able to send me to Oregon State University. After four years of pure hard work, that dream that once felt so impossible was now a reality.

I ‘am now a marine biologist and travel all around the world exploring all of Earth’s vast oceans. I feel so free and alive; I’ am no longer trapped in that small one bedroom apartment. The sights and sounds I get to experience everyday are more magnificent than anything I could ever imagine. Although everything I went through was dreadful, it made this success I now have a million times better knowing I was able to overcome so much. As for my dad I’m glad I gave him an opportunity to prove to me that he was a different man then before, after all everyone deserves a second chance. Lastly I would like to tell anyone that has had to experience the painful loss of a loved one that life does go on.