College+Essay

__Her Happiness__ By: Nicolette Silva

It’s funny how every child dreams of becoming a doctor when they grow up, but only a few actually do. And I was just like every other kid. It all started when my parents told me that they wanted me to live a better lifestyle when I grew up. But as I grew up and gained more experience did I realize that being rich is not something to strive for. Instead, I wanted to be that person who helps others, that person who puts other people before herself, that person who can make someone happy. It wasn’t until that one day did I realize that becoming a doctor was truly something I wanted to strive to become. Not because of the money, but because they help people to become happier and healthier. That one day was the very day I decided to do anything it takes. My grandma was visiting from a neighbor island because she had doctor’s appointments for the sickness she had developed. She was in a lot of pain, and I always felt so helpless because there was nothing I could really do to help her. She often tried to sleep the pain away, and sometimes it was just too much for her. One day I was playing a computer game and minding my own business, when I heard a low muffled noise. It sounded like my Grandma was talking to herself, just like any other day. I shrugged it off, until a couple seconds later came another short, muffled noise. It started to sound like she had a wet cough, and the noise continued again for a few more seconds. I went to go check on her, to offer Kleenex or some cough medicine. I flung the door open, only to find her sitting on the ground, her whole body leaning to one side, and a cord around her neck, the only thing holding her up. Her face was swollen and purple, the muffled noises, now loud and clear. She was choking. I screamed in horror and adrenaline kicked in as I ran to her side. It felt like eternity to get there. The carpet only seemed to lengthen and she only seemed to be farther away. When I finally reached her, time slammed into me so hard all I could hear was my own heartbeat. I tried to untie the cord around her neck, but my fingers felt so small and shaky. Tears began clouding my vision, but instead of sitting there and crying, I wiped the tears away, ran out of the room, searched for a scissors, and grabbed the first one that I could find. I rushed back into the room, focused on the cord, instead of my grandmother’s face. I reached for the cord, cut it, and surprisingly, it began to unwind itself from around her neck. I quickly and neatly loosened the rest and threw it to the side. I grabbed my Grandma and held her in my lap, weeping. She was still conscious, luckily, and began mumbling to herself. “How did you know?” she whispered to me, eyes closed shut, face swollen. “Shh Grandma, It’s okay, you’ll be okay.” Today, my Grandma is alive and healthy. However, the next years after her incident were rough for her. She had to go through psychiatric help and my mom had her move to Honolulu for a couple of months, just to keep an eye on her. A few days after the incident, I went to visit her in the hospital. I felt no fear and felt like it was my responsibility to go and check up on her. When I got into her own little room, she was up and about. She looked at me, with bloodshot eyes, and began crying. “How are you doing Grandma?” She walked over to me, hugged, and kissed me. “Thank you for saving me. You are my guardian angel.” We cried together and just stood there, hugging. At that moment, a weight had been lifted, and I felt like I had done right. And her happiness, it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My grandma’s happiness had been etched into my heart, and from then on, I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life making other people just as happy as she was that day in the hospital room. Even till this day, I never imagined that something so surreal could have ever solidified my childhood dream of becoming a doctor. From that day on, I dedicated myself to making a difference in people’s lives, by helping them to get better. I will work hard and do whatever it takes to be that someone who can make the smallest difference in the world—one person’s happiness at a time.