In the spring of 1991, Tracy was only seventeen when she found out she was going to have a baby, and she was still in high school. She had so much going on in her life. Everyone thought she would be the first in her family to go to college, so the news surprised her and her parents. Even though she felt scared, she knew she wanted to have her baby.
Tracy was lucky enough to have parents who loved and supported her throughout her decision. Being a teen mom in the early 1990s was hard. People whispered in hallways gave her looks. She left like an outcast, which made her feel alone so often because people didn’t talk to her much. But she had three teachers who were kind to her. They listened to her and encouraged her, and she stayed in touch with them for many years.
The baby’s father didn’t want to be involved, so he was uninterested in appointments. Tracy realized she would be raising her child on her own. When her daughter was born, the father came to the hospital, but Tracy chose her own mother to be with her in the delivery room, and her daughter got her last name. To Tracy, giving her daughter her name felt like a small piece of control in a world that had suddenly become unpredictable.
After her daughter was born, Tracy felt worried. Her baby had to stay in the hospital for five days, and she had to go home without her baby. Those five days felt like five months.. Even though she knew it wasn’t true, she was afraid someone might take her baby away because she was so young. When her baby finally came home, she only then felt safe and happy again.
Life was still hard as she was clueless about how she would finish school or take care of her daughter on her own. But she didn’t give up. And in 1993, she started community college. She worked full-time. Her feet hurt from long shifts, and sometimes she studied during her lunch breaks during the day, and went to classes at night. Although it took her six years and sleepless nights, she earned her first college degree.
During this time, Tracy grew close to a childhood friend. He even visited her at the hospital when her daughter was born, and eventually they fell in love and got married. He became a fantastic husband, and later he adopted Tracy’s daughter, becoming her actual father. Tracy kept working and going to school. When her daughter was twelve, Tracy graduated from Temple University. Her daughter watched her walk across the stage, and Tracy felt proud that she had never given up.
Tracy became a teacher in a big high school. She met many students with complicated lives, got to know them, and understood their feelings because she had been through hard times herself. She helped them with kindness and patience. Later, Tracy had two more children, a daughter in 2006 and a son in 2011. Even though her children were far apart in age, they all loved each other very much. Their home was filled with noisy mornings, shared jokes, and a love that grew stronger every year.
Now, Tracy is an adult looking back at her life. She is grateful for her family, her faith, and everyone who helped her in this journey. Her first daughter grew up to be a happy, successful woman. Her younger children are growing up in a loving, supportive environment. She is proud of the life she built, even though it started with struggle and fear, but she learned that hard work, love, and hope can lead to something beautiful.
