Making A Comeback

By: Devera Moore

August 30, 2018

Making A Comeback: Students and Teachers who have Overcome Great Odds

Cancer, losing a loved one, and poverty are all things people face in our society. Throughout the halls of Mary Persons, the student and faculty body has faced many odds that they have overcome with time.

We sit and work with people every day that face many challenges in their life. After talking with ninth grader, Kylie Seitz, she stated that at the age of 4 she was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, which is a type of bone cancer. Her parents thought it was just growing pains, but after they realized what it really was, she had to be hospitalized for 9 months. In that period of time, she really didn’t care for being there, but she made the best of it. Kylie stated, “I have had 13 surgeries and throughout those surgeries, they placed metal rods in my hip to the middle part of my knee. Somehow those surgeries caused me to have scoliosis which caused the doctors to put metal rods in my back as well.” Although things were tough growing up, Kylie made the best out of it. Still to this day, she attends a camp called Camp Sunshine, which allows her to connect with people who have gone through a similar situation as her.

Teachers go through obstacles, also. Mrs. McKneely faced an incident in her life that tested her faith. She stated, that in her teaching career she faced a miscarriage with her second child causing both her and her husband heartache and pain. Throughout this difficult time in both of their lives, Mrs. McKneely relied on prayer to keep her strong. Not to mention, at that time she was teaching and it was more difficult to tell her students what had happened. However, she said, “going through this obstacle made me stronger with my faith and myself, and if I didn’t go through this, my family wouldn’t be what it is now.” Mrs. McKneely now has 2 healthy and perfect little boys who she loves dearly.

All humans are bound to hit some type of obstacle in their lifetime. No matter what hardship you hit, you have to stand firm and believe that everything will soon be better! Although times can get really tough at some point, by relying solely on your faith to give you strength at the low point in your life, you will soon make a bigger and better comeback!

Devera Moore is a 12th grade student at Mary Persons High School