Injury leads her from volleyball to nursing
“I played volleyball in middle school and high school. Then I got a full ride to play at Lee College. It was my first year there, and we were at a tournament in the El Paso...
Mother’s advice: always respect yourself
“The death of my mother is definitely something that I had to deal with because I was not prepared. I mean, nobody’s really prepared for death. I was an only child. Being as close as I...
Daughter, rescue dog overcome challenges
“Her name is Tutti. Like Tutti Frutti. She’s a Chinese Crested/Jack-A-Poo mix. When she was very young, the people who had her stepped on her. They said the kids were real mean to her. So we...
‘I feel like I’m missing out on parenthood’
“My mom and dad had 11 kids. I’m the baby. I’m 38 years old. I’m single. I’m homosexual. And I’m the only one who doesn’t have any kids. Altogether, there are like 65 grandchildren. “I fight...
Being homeless ‘feels pretty worthless’
“When you’re on the street by yourself, it feels pretty worthless. I don’t want to be here. It gets very lonely. I’ve been very depressed. I cry myself to sleep every night. I just wish I...
Dad’s death has lasting impact on children
“When my dad died, he was just 41. He left behind my mom and five kids. I was the oldest at 16. The youngest was 3. The toughest part was just trying to go on with...
60 years later, he still misses his dad
“I will never, ever, ever forget that night. “My dad was working for the old Houston Post. He was circulation manager for the La Porte area, where we lived. We did a lot of things together,...
Finding a job, while trying to find himself
“You see where you found me. I’m here at a basketball court, shooting hoops, listening to music. In the past, I probably would have been at a friend’s house, figuring out how I’m going to make...
Gang tattoos lead to jail confrontations
“Before I went to state jail, I knew that two of these tattoos were affiliated with gangs. The dog paw print is for the Bloods. The star is for Tango Blast. But I was never gang...
Staying strong key to surviving in jail
“In my 24 years, I’ve been to state jail twice. The first time, I was 16 or 17. My mother had three other kids to worry about. I started hanging around with the wrong people. Started...
