The thought of living in a world without my grandma was inconceivable someone who filled the emptiness of an absent father, and the loneliness of a busy, hard-working mother. My grandma is a resilient woman, an attribute that helped her persevere in the face of a heart attack; but, even her determination couldn’t change the fact that she was treated unfairly. My grandma was left in a hospital room, unattended for over an hour. The pain became so agonizing that she began to scream, desperately pleading for help.
Nurses rushed into her room, and finally the doctor. But they were too late.
Due to a delay in receiving the proper medication, blood clots started to form around my grandma’s heart; consequently, doctors were left with no other choice but to perform triple bypass surgery. As an outcome of neglect, my grandma suffered severe heart damage, forever altering the quality of her life. Words that were once familiar became unfamiliar, moments that were once cherished slowly faded, and faces that were once recognizable grew estranged.
Sadly, this was an injustice for which she still seeks rectitude for till this day. This painful moment within my life was the catalyst for my decision to explore the profession of health law.
My grandma’s heart attack occurred seven years ago, and since then I have lived my life in an intentional manner, always keeping law school at the edge of my forward vision. Yet, I went though a period of my life where I constantly questioned if law school was for me.
Throughout high school, I struggled academically, and it was as if no one cared to notice. At home school was rarely a topic of conversation as long as I continued to go. Moreover, a majority of my teachers equated the academic misgivings I faced to an inability on my behalf. Counselors and academic advisors would persistently recommend that I peruse a technical course path as opposed to a college preparatory path; they would stress how “college was not for everyone”. Naturally, I began to feel immensely insecure, internalizing feelings of doubt and uncertainty. I started to succumb to the idea that I was not “smart” enough for college.
However, it was in those very moments that I thought about my grandma, and why I so strongly desired to become a lawyer. The love for my grandmother is immeasurable, and that love has cultivated a desire within me to aid others who face similar situations. I have first-hand experience in how injustice is a pervasive threat, preying on those without the necessary financial means, power, or knowledge to overcome. Yet, I believe such factors should not inhibit one’s natural right to obtain justice.
That is when I decided that I could not simply assent to others’ opinions. I learned that “being smart” was less about natural abilities and more about the willingness to truly work for what it is I want. Consequently, I began to define my own destiny. Despite the discouragement I faced, I was accepted to a local community college. I worked relentlessly to achieve high grades, proving to others and mostly to myself that I was capable of attaining academic success. I then transferred to Georgia State University on scholarship where I became an honors student.
While at Georgia State, I started to develop my interest in law, particularly I participated in the Pre – Law Scholars Program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law; a summer program designed for underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in the legal profession. Throughout the program, I attended five various courses taught by law professors and I networked with lawyers, judges, and politicians. Listening to them express the myriad of obstacles they faced greatly impacted me, for within their stories I saw myself as a high school student; someone who struggled academically and lacked the proper motivational support. Such an experience enabled me to be proud of my progression as an individual, and confident in my abilities to advance forward.
I later graduated from Georgia State University with an advanced honors degree in English. My grandma’s tragic experience has acted as an unwavering force steering me from high school to community college, and from community college to a university. At this juncture in my life, I am ready to progress to law school. A legal education will equip me with the necessary skills to understand the intricacies of law relative to health institutions. Such knowledge will enable me to aid individuals as my grandma who are incapable of standing for themselves. For this purpose, all I need is an opportunity.
I was involved in (2) traffic accidents. On April 09, 2011 the first traffic accident occurred. While heading home, I failed to yield before I proceeded to make a right turn. Consequently, as I turned an oncoming car struck the right side of my vehicle. I received a citation for failure to yield. I plead nolo contendere, at the Gwinnett Recorders court on May 31, 2011 and I was ordered to pay a fine which I paid in full.
Two years later on the day of January 18, 2013 I was involved in a second traffic accident while heading south bound on highway 285. As traffic came to a stop, I proceeded to change lanes to my right. Subsequently, in changing lanes, I collided with another car with the right side of my vehicle. I received a citation for lane violation. I plead nolo contendere at the Dunwoody Municipal Court on July 19, 2013 and I was ordered to pay a fine. Due to a lack of the necessary financial resources, I was placed on probation for a provisional period. On …. I finished paying my fine, and I was taken of probation.
Although, I was young and less experienced as a driver when my accidents occurred, I take full responsibility for my actions. Fortunately, I was able to learn from my experiences; and, now I understand the amount of responsibility, discernment, and awareness that goes hand and hand with driving. I now take extra caution to avoid any further violations.
My Grandma's Death and My Car Accident Teaching Me About Responsibility. (2022, Dec 13). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/my-grandma-s-death-and-my-car-accident-teaching-me-about-responsibility/