“Candace! Get over here now!” mom suddenly yelled. 
I dash over to her only to be confused. “Why are you ignoring me?” she snapped. 
“What do you mean? I came as soon as I heard you.” I murmured. 
“Chad! Call the ear doctor please! I think something’s wrong!” she rushed out. 

By the end of the year, I was proclaimed deaf in my left ear, and learned that there are no adaptions to help limit my disability to a minimum. Thus, I had to learn the hard way that state of mind trumps state of body. 
   

After seven years, unknown demons came out to relish in the accusations thrown my way during my seventh-grade year. From cheating to bribery, I realized that not many people had faith in me, if they know who I was, that is. At least every two months, tormentors would lash out over my academic ability and cry wolf. Finally, I got the courage to confront one of these accusers, and his response simply crushed me. 

“Why are you and your friends always trying to get me in trouble?” I questioned. 
“Why,” he spat,” I’m only trying to show the school what you are...a cheater!” 
“No, I'm not. I try just as hard, if not harder, in classes than you!” I choked. 
“Oh please, your deaf! There is no way you are passing, let alone making A’s without being a cheater!” he chuckled. 

As a result, I began to isolate myself from everyone, even my family. At night, I only prayed that the other people in the twelve-point-eight percent of the world that are disabled, has better experiences in life than I am. After all, my peers only believed that a disabled person like me could never match up to a fully functioning human-being like them, so I had no hope for peace of mind for myself. 
   

Finally, after nine years of bottling up waves of insults such as “You are nothing!”, bottling up a hurricane of emotions that only demons relish in, and bottling up streams of insecurities planted in my mind, my dam finally collapsed under the pressure. That night, I threw pillows in rage, bawled my eyes out in rejection, and screamed curses to those who mentally scarred me. That night, I hit rock bottom, yet, that night also became my turning point to my American Revolution. After every battle, I got the determination to get back up. I proved my tormentors wrong by exceling in academics and music. I even proved myself wrong when I got into National Junior Honor Society in eighth grade, as well as National Society of High School Scholars this year. Overall, my worst moments created the opportunity for my highest points in life. 
   

For a fifteen-year-old, I have been through an emotional roller coaster like no other. I have gone as low as believing that I am nothing, yet I turned my life around to the point that I believe I am everything I want to be. My mom once told me that if I set my mind to it, I can get anywhere I want, with or without my disability holding me back. I just have to give myself the chance to rise above the water filled with my doubts and keep trying before I let myself sink to the bottom of the dam. Besides, why should I listen to the demons lurking around?