“Death” by Aliana Monarrez-Hernandez, 17
Death. You don't know how you'll react till your face to face with it. 6 years ago my brother was at death's door and it shifted the foundation of my family.
Many people face obstacles that set them back, but this was more than just an obstacle. It changed my whole perspective on life. I was in 7th grade when my brother went into the hospital for 6 months. Not knowing what was happening, we were all left with debilitating fear. I grew up at that moment.
I had zero true understanding of how soft and naive I was, being the baby of my family came with privileges. Privileges I had never truly appreciated and had always taken for granted. That old saying “Shit rolls downhill” was very real. But most of the time, by the time it got to me, it had all been cleaned up literally and figuratively. With two older Type A siblings, I rarely had to worry about chores, responsibilities, or even setting an alarm. Now with my brother in a coma, and my mother diligently at his side, everything changed. The stress in my home was palpable and the tension thick. My grades started to suffer. I didn't know what to do, how could I be worried about something so trivial as my grades when my brother was literally at death's door. It felt like a disrespect to the seriousness of the situation, to laugh, to watch my favorite shows, even scrolling on my phone felt like a betrayal to everything my family was going through. The young, naive kid I once was, was a thing of the past. I had always relied on my parents and siblings to take care of me. That moment in time shaped and molded me more than anything else prior to or since then. I had always taken for granted not just the comfort I had lived with in the physical sense, but also the comfort that I had grown accustomed to in the emotional sense. I struggled to pull myself and my grades up, but my desire to do so came from my unwillingness to be a burden. I can genuinely say that my eyes were open and I began to see what I felt was my lack of contribution to my family structure. I was scared for my brother, I missed my mother, and I quietly cried myself to sleep every night. The last thing I wanted was to be another stressor for my family.
Within this traumatic moment of time, I discovered a strength and resilience in myself. I began to take on responsibilities, I learned how to prepare simple meals, I became proactive in my surroundings, not waiting to be told what to do. Now I recognize how I grew and matured at rapid speed that year. I discovered what empathy was as I found it within myself, and I found self reliance I had no idea I possessed. Now 6 years removed from that year of growth, my brother is my hero. His recovery is nothing short of miraculous and he is my biggest inspiration. He has turned this horrific event he lived into just a minor setback. From a young age my mom has always spoken and advocated on the importance of a higher education. After a year of recovery he was able to go back and complete his degree. And even though it took him twice as long, not finishing was never an option.