I am currently a Freshman student-athlete at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio. I am majoring in Biology and I also play #1 Singles and #1 Doubles on the tennis team. Since I was twelve-years-old I have been looking to find something that would help me achieve my dream of becoming a doctor. I was born in Haiti to a low-income family with five siblings. My father passed away when I was 12-years-old, and my mom tried her best to raise six of us without a father. It was difficult for her to feed us and even pay for our education.
Tragically, one day in seventh grade I found out that my mom was very sick. That afternoon I walked into her tidy room to see how she was doing, and we only talked for a few minutes about life, even though her words were nothing more than silent murmurs. I couldn’t believe my eyes as I watched my mom take her last breath right in front of me. I was in despair that day. She passed away when I was 14-years-old. Since I was a little boy my mom always reminded me that there was a time I told her I wanted to become a doctor. Now, without parents and a source of support, I thought that there was no way I would be able to achieve my goal. After her death, I was living without hope, and all my dreams were completely gone. Even though my mom is not here, I still want to make that dream come true.
Fortunately, I met Dr. Steven Kirby and through H.E.R.O. Academy in Haiti and was introduced to tennis. With his mentorship I found that playing tennis may be a way for me to earned a college education in the United States. I researched and applied to many colleges, finally receiving a scholarship offer to Franciscan University. While the scholarship pays for tuition, other fees and educational support resources were not covered. Learning about Mentors Foundation’s goal to empower people toward sustainability was the resource I needed to succeed.
In addition to going to class and playing on the tennis team, I also work as the Athletic Administrative Assistant for Budget and Finance at Franciscan University. Attending Franciscan has been an eye-opening experience and I have already learned so much during the first semester of my Freshman year. I want to get involved in student government and also organize mission trips to Haiti during Spring Break. If I could get any job upon graduation, it would be working with Doctors Without Borders to provide free medical care to those in need.
