She overcomes bullying to prove others wrong
“My parents were immigrants from the tiny island of Saint Lucia. They came to Baytown in the late ‘70s. We were very poor. We lived in a trailer park. I was the last of three kids. My mom had a home...
Powerful voices draw her to opera
“I’m very outgoing. I’m a very extroverted person. So when it came time to choose electives in sixth grade, I wanted to be in something where there were a lot of people. I also wanted to take the elective that went...
ICU nurse stresses importance of vaccine
“We’ve been seeing a gradual decline in the number of COVID patients. The last time I was at work, we had a few empty beds. That hasn’t been the case in a very long time. I definitely think it’s because more...
‘COVID has let us know exactly how mortal we are’
“One thing I’ve learned is to never feel like everything is OK. It was March this year when the majority of extra nurses — travelers like me — were sent back home. We all thought COVID was finally settling down or...
He’s come to terms with muscular dystrophy
“I used to be a national sales manager for dehumidification. We dried out large commercial buildings in the U.S. and all over the world. I had to resign because of medical issues: muscular dystrophy. “It’s a genetic family thing. We have...
Nurse daughter caring for COVID patients
“I stopped working for a while because I was scared of all the COVID. But he did go to work. Maybe it was there that he got sick. Then I got it, too. “I didn’t have any problems. So I just...
Love takes them from Mexico to U.S.
“One day, we were both at a party. He came up to me and said, ‘Do you want to dance?’ He looked so handsome. So I said, ‘Yes.’ That’s how we met. “I was 18 or 19 years old. I saw...
Mom intent on son being successful
“I worked for a while at the hospital as a CNA [certified nursing assistant]. When I had my youngest son, I started staying home. I was working 12-hour shifts. But I decided that him being successful was more important. I wanted...
‘I 100% believe these vaccinations help’
(Part 3 of 3) “Before Justin got COVID, neither of us got the vaccine. But after I saw how it affected him, and I saw how ill he was, I got vaccinated on May 10. “After what he’s gone through, I...
‘We can’t go back to our normal life’
(Part 2 of 3) “We’re glad to have him home again. But life here is still not the same. “Justin had to relearn how to walk. His left arm got some nerve damage, and it’s barely coming back. He still can’t...
