People say ignorance is bliss; however ignorance can become complacency.

Lebanon Beirut, March 3rd 1996. I was born with a rare bone condition -- Olliers disease
-- in a country with poor medical treatment, to unfit parents. So how am I here? Many people
believe in luck, but as for me, I believe in God, and I believe in fate.
With a mother suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and an absentee father, my three
siblings and I were neglected as children. We were sheltered from the outside world, staying at
home in complete isolation, with my oldest brother taking charge and dictating our lives. Our
isolation resulted in a complete disregard for my education, which led me to miss second, third
and fourth grade. The seclusion also trapped my two sisters and me in a world where physical
and emotional abuse from our brother became a normal part our daily lives.
When I turned eight, my mothers mental illness worsened, resulting in us fleeing the
country overnight to England. Even though I lived there for an entire year, I was completely
unaware of my surroundings. I still remember the day my dad called to wish me happy birthday,
and I had no clue what the date even was.
Later, my mother abruptly decided to move to the US, to run away from the people who
were watching us and from the drugs falling from the ceiling. Six months after arriving in
Virginia, however, my life changed. My siblings and I were taken from our mother and placed
into foster care.
Foster care was a very confusing time for me; I could not fathom why I had to live with
random people I did not know, without either of my older siblings. It was here that I was forced
to open my eyes, learn about the outside world, and shed my ignorance. I then realized: I had
been abused.
Looking back, I now appreciate foster care enabled many positive first experiences. I
was able to begin school, see a doctor for my bone disease, and even go to the zoo for the first
time. I am thankful that I at least had my younger sister by my side. A part of me was even
content when my parents rights were terminated, because I had grown comfortable with my life.
Then my social worker told me that my two sisters and I were going to be put on the
market for adoption. Part of me felt giddy about the idea of reuniting with my older sister, but I
was not exactly thrilled with the idea of being featured on NBC Channel 4s Wednesdays Child,
paraded around for the world to see.
Surprisingly enough, we were very popular, and many families wanted to adopt us.
However, fate intervened, and the county chose one particular family -- Amy and Dave Rhodes.
I dreaded and outright rejected the adoption, but finally caved in order to stay with my
sisters. In hindsight, I realize how ignorant I was and how God has blessed me with both of my
adoptive parents. They changed my life. Amy and Dave saw potential in me I did not know

existed, which helped motivate me to work hard in school. While I thought I knew everything -at the age of 13 -- that theory quickly crumbled as I began to recognize I could barely connect to
my past, and I had little knowledge about what was wrong with my leg. Amy and Dave educated
me in many ways: from teaching me proper grammar and polite table etiquette to enlightening
me on Olliers disease -- my leg problem. I started to excel in school and became more invested
in myself and my future.
In foster care, with no knowledge of my condition, my doctor had suggested we amputate
my leg. However, fate again had another plan for me. My adoptive parents worked to get the
best possible treatment at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. Sinai had great doctors who offered
different choices. I became one of the first 10 people to undergo the newest limb lengthening
procedure with an internal lengthening device called the Precise Nail. The procedural results
were incredibly successful. I wanted to educate my peers on this topic, so I chose to complete
my capstone project for the Middle Years Programme on it. I created a pamphlet, which is
currently in the process of final editing and is expected to be published by Sinai Hospital for
patients preparing to go through the same procedure.
Living with my adoptive parents allowed me to see the gift I had been given. My earlier
abuse and neglect has led to a stronger appreciation for the life I have today. I now understand
how foolish I was to claim to know everything, and the importance of seeking knowledge outside
of the sheltered environment that I grew up in. As I move forward and expand my horizons, I
will never live in complacency again.
Part of moving forward, to me, is giving back. Drawing on my experience, I have
worked with the Barker Foundation, Wednesdays Child NBC News 4 and other local
organizations to help advocate adoption for older children. I have also been featured on Girls
Life -- a nationally recognized magazine -- as an inspirational story to help young girls fight
through their struggles. Although I am by far not an icon for perfection, I try my best to help
people in any way I can. I truly believe God planned this life for me, giving me great
interpersonal skills to reach a broad spectrum of people.
Many ask: If I had the chance to take it all back and redo my life, would I? I started my
journey in a developing country with every possible disadvantage, and I am now so grateful for
the opportunity to apply to college and use my studies to prepare for a worthwhile future. Like
my dad says: take control of your life. It took me a while to understand what that meant -- that
my past explains a lot of who I am today, but it will not define me. I am choosing the person I
want to be. My struggles have strengthened me and have given me a stronger sense of
compassion and empathy toward those in need. So, would I redo my life? No. Rather than
discouraging, my story is uplifting. Ive been given a gift, to see the world differently. I plan to
harness this ability to change lives.