I have been a lifelong resident of Westminster and love Carroll County. Family is very important to me and I am blessed to have such a great family. My mom is my best friend and I have 3 older brothers. My dad passed away from ALS in 2001 when I was 11 years old.
I am a childhood brain cancer survivor and was diagnosed with cancer at 5 years old. Shortly after news of the diagnosis, I underwent surgery to remove the tumor. I recovered from that surgery and as time went on, doctors assumed the tumor was gone. Two years later, the tumor came back so I underwent surgery again. The doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital scraped away every little bit of tumor, determined it would never come back. Well, six weeks after that surgery, the tumor came back, bigger than it was before the second surgery. At that point, my only options were to let the cancer slowly take my life or to try radiation therapy. So in the summer of 1997, I underwent radiation treatments. The treatments destroyed the cancer but however, the radiation scattered throughout my brain, causing me to become physically disabled and nearly killing me. By January of 1998, I couldn’t walk, crawl, I lost all motor functions, was having issues with my blood pressure, and was pretty much lifeless. Doctors told my parents I would die within weeks.
Unwilling to give up, my parents hired all sorts of therapists to work with me. I retaught myself to walk, regained motor skills, and basically learned how to live again. We were determined to prove those doctors wrong. I am thankful for those therapists and the amazing support we received from the Carroll County community during those difficult years. I am Catholic and my faith has sustained me through good times and bad times. I believe there is beauty in suffering and in every moment, sometimes we just have to search for it. Life is a gift and with the grace of God, anything is possible. I went on to finish school at St. John School, then Delone Catholic, and graduated from Mount St. Mary’s University with a BA in Communication Studies.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family. Include your pets too!
My mom is my best friend and I have 3 older brothers. My dad passed away from ALS in 2001 when I was 11 years old. I also have a german shepherd, husky mix named Riley who is the very best! I couldn’t imagine life without my family.
Q: What is one of your favorite quotes or lines in a song and why does it resonate with you?
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”-Mother Teresa
We are all capable of making a difference in someone’s life, whether it’s big or small. You never know the effect your simple smile or kind word might have on another even if we don’t see the effects of our actions or think we don’t matter.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I work for the Carroll County Department of Social Services and work with some of the most selfless and caring people you will ever meet. My coworkers are incredible and I love helping Carroll County.
I also am a grant writer for St. John School and Parish. I’ve been a parishioner of St. John all my life and grew up being active in the community. My mom taught at the school for 26 years and the people at St. John are like family to me. I enjoy writing and it is a gift of mine. It is nice to use that skill as a way to help others.
I occasionally do inspirational speaking or speak at retreats sharing my story and my faith with others.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Be kind, have an attitude of gratitude, and always seek the best in others.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite places or events in our community? What is something unique about our community?
Fall Fest in downtown Westminster, Flower and Jazz Festival, Hoffman’s Ice Cream, Hashawha Environmental Center, Christmas Bazaar at St. John. I love how even though Westminster is constantly growing, people still hold on tight to the small town roots and are neighborly towards one another.
Q: What advice would you give to people living in Westminster or looking to move to Westminster?
Although Westminster is constantly growing, there is still such a small town atmosphere. It is such a safe and quaint community.
Q: What 3 words come to mind when you think of Westminster?
small town, compassionate, caring
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
Hoffmans Ice Cream
Q: Tell us about your bucket list.
To visit Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and the Holy Land.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I love a good cup of tea
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My family, especially my brothers, inspire me to work harder in every facet of life. They have always been role models to me.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
Jonanthan Roumie. I love the show The Chosen and based off of videos on social media, find him to be an interesting person. I would like to get his take on the show and his role. Probably Mediterraneo, their food is delicious and the owners are so kind!
Learn more about my story here:
https://thepositivedisabledadult.wordpress.com/
