The times that followed became a very difficult one for me and for my family. I am the youngest of 3 children at home. And probably the most doted on, both by my parents and my siblings. I don’t think that when something like this happens to 1 person at home, the rest will not be affected, much less a close-knitted family like mine. The months that followed saw my family leap into financial difficulty and emotional stress.

Looking back, however, I am so thankful that we had each other. In a strange sort of way, this experience was a blessing. It made us draw closer to each other and changed all our perspectives. Suddenly, it was alright not to be wealthy, or gorgeous, or to be doing something great.

It was enough to know we were all in this together.