By 9 years old I found myself parentless. My siblings did their best to raise me, but they lacked the maturity or the means to care for me properly. I lived in a poverty-stricken, drug infested neighborhood where there weren’t many positive factors. No one was there to encourage me or voice that they believed in me. Instead of giving up on myself, I chose to become my own biggest fan and poured all of my energy into my education.
At an early age, I learned the value of hard work and perseverance. I had another fan too – the most loyal being in my life at that time – my dog AJ. This may sound silly, but she was my best friend, my motivation. We “talked” about my dreams of becoming a lawyer and one day having enough money to buy a big house for me, her and a lot more dogs. No matter what else was wrong in my life, she was always there showing her genuine loyalty and putting a smile on my face. In return, I promised to sneak her bits of my dinner and take care of her forever – she and I would share in the rewards of all of my hard work in school. Of course, she passed away prior to me attending law school, but I never forgot our “talks” or my promises.
Although I practiced law for 13 years the thought of pursuing what captured my heart many years ago – my love of dogs – always presented itself. I followed my heart and am ready to make good on the promises that I committed to over a “pinky-swear” with my 1st best friend over 30 years ago. I’m ready to make my dream of owning a successful kennel a reality.