LyNardia Morris

 

LyNardia Morris

From Struggle to Success: My Unstoppable Journey My journey has never been an easy one, but every obstacle I’ve faced has only fueled my determination to succeed. From the very beginning, I had to fight to be here. My mother had major complications during her pregnancy with me, undergoing surgery as a high-risk case. She was told she was having a boy, but when I arrived as a girl, it created an unexpected strain. All she had wanted was a son, and shortly after my birth, she tried again and had my brother. Because of this, I often felt overlooked, as if I was never truly enough. At 15, I was emancipated, which meant I had to navigate life on my own. I didn’t have the safety net of staying with a grandparent, a cousin, or any family member—I was truly alone. That was the first time I experienced homelessness, and with it came overwhelming feelings of isolation and sadness. But even in my darkest moments, I worked hard. I was what you’d call a “functioning depressionist” pushing through life while carrying an unbearable weight inside. At 19, I had my son, Jase, and shortly after, his father walked away, leaving me to raise him alone. That heartbreak, combined with everything I had already endured, became too much. I attempted to take my own life and was hospitalized for a month. Counseling helped, but the pain lingered. Then in 2020, life knocked me down once again I found myself homeless for the second time, with no job, no car, and nothing but my son and my will to survive. That was my breaking point, but also my breakthrough. I stopped waiting for someone to save me because no one ever did. If my son and I were going to make it, I had to be the one to save us. With nothing but faith and determination, I drove to Bishop State and made the decision to change my future. From that moment on, I became unstoppable. Through hard work and resilience, I have earned some of the highest-paying scholarships, became the president of multiple honor societies, and built a name for myself as a leader. So many people have tried to dim my light, but I refused to let them. The same survival skills that kept me alive became the foundation of my success. I have turned pain into power, struggles into strength, and setbacks into comebacks. I am living proof that no matter how many times life knocks you down, you can always rise again.