I remember the day just like it was yesterday.  The day was June 15, 2009 and my parents called me out of my bedroom.  We were on our annual vacation at Cape Hatteras in North Carolina.  The beach has always been a serene place for my family and me, but in a matter of moments our tranquil mood would be altered for years.  My parents said they needed to tell me something.  They sat me down on the couch and revealed some terrifying news.  My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Seemingly endless tears came from my eyes, but my mom assured me a promise:  She would fight and beat cancer.  The saddest day of my life would later become a blessing in disguise.
The early days for me were very rough.  I was putting on a happy face, but deep down inside I was dealing with uncertainty and fear of what was to come in the future.  I saw my mom lose all of her hair and deal with several emotionally draining days.  She was always there for me even during some of her toughest times.  I remember the days when her white-blood cell count was extremely low and she was practically quarantine, but she kept promising me that she would kick cancer’s ass and see better days ahead.  After months of chemotherapy, she was officially a cancer survivor and she had indeed won the battle against cancer.  To watch her knockout cancer was motivational for me as it taught me that if you set a goal, you can reach that goal when you put in the hard work.  I try to put in this idea when it comes to schoolwork, basketball or just trying to be the best person I can be.
After my mom was diagnosed, she decided to go on some jogs in the morning during our beach week.  She noticed a completely empty compound with at least twenty-five abandoned houses.  Once she saw those houses, her mind began to formulate ideas, which would lead to everything Little Pink Houses of Hope has become.  During our eighteen hour drive down to Key West, I read a piece of one of her journals that said in reference to the houses: “I just want to paint them pink and let breast cancer patients stay there for a week”.  After years of formulating the logistics for the organization, Little Pink was launched in 2011.  Each retreat I volunteer on is somewhat surreal for me, being that I remember the day when my mom returned from her jog and mentioned the idea that would later become Little Pink.
If you would ask me to describe my mom using only one word it would be influential.  Within the past four years, I have noticed personal growth in my life because of how hard she has fought.  There is no doubt in my mind that she will be just as influential to her future daughter-in-law and her future grandchildren.  Last week during the Bethany Beach, Delaware retreat, one of the fathers gave my mom five words that fit so well to her life and resiliency.  Those five words were, “You have created a legacy”.  Indeed she has