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Growing up, I loved looking at the stars and learning about space. My parents told me some people lived in a space station floating above our heads, and maybe one day I could too. When they said this, I was so ecstatic I could not contain myself. They told me I would need to work very hard in school if I even wanted to have a shot at it, though. I remember the next day at school; I did my work as vigorously as I could and turned it in before everyone else because I had thought that’s what it meant to work hard in school. When I came home with a D on that assignment, my parents explained to me what it meant to be a hard worker in school. Since that day, I worked very hard to make sure I made it to where I am today even though I had a bad accident.
One day my mother and I were coming home from my friends after we had a play date. As we were going through a green light, there was a drunk driver who did not stop. He hit us at thirty-five miles per hour on the front passenger door, which was where I was sitting. That was the last thing I remembered before waking up in the hospital, where the doctor told my parents and me I would need a colostomy because I had a piece of metal strike my colon. After explaining what was going to happen, they told the heavy hearts they were going to proceed. After my procedure, I was ready to get back to school and learn more about space to keep my mind off of my new situation. I did not believe I could make it as an astronaut until I asked my doctor, and he told me with lots of hard work and dedication, he would love to see me in space.
As my school years went on, I continued to work as hard as I could. I wanted to make sure I could make it an astronaut someday, regardless of my situation. When I went to college, I majored in engineering and minored in computer science. I spent eight years at school, but because my parents taught me to work hard, I ended every year with at the least a B plus. Due to my hard work in school, before I could even apply or reach out to NASA, they contacted me and said they had an opening on an upcoming mission to the space station. Without a second thought or giving him a moment to speak, I told him yes and about my ostomy. He said that would not be a problem and then began telling me that my training for space flight would take place in a month and it would last for four two years unless I excel in my training.
I ended up finishing my training in one year and was able to go on the next flight to the space station. When I got up there, I could not believe my eyes it was breathtaking. It was a fantastic experience for my first time, and I’m so glad to have listened to my parents about working hard in school.
Being an astronaut was all I dreamed about when I was young, and I am so glad to have listened to my parents about working hard in school; if I had not listened to my parents, then I’m not sure id be where I am today. I have been an astronaut for close to ten years now, and one thing I have learned is that the more I have learned about space, the more I’m less afraid of the things around me. I love my job, even with an ostomy.
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