My Hero

I have mentioned my friend and neighbor Daniela many times in this blog. She is my best friend at site and is an incredible human being, always caring for me dearly. Here is a piece I wrote about her and why she is my hero:

Resilient, Daniela volunteers to improve the health of her family and her community, while living in extreme poverty. Watching Daniela succeed and continually challenge herself through extreme hardships while consistently exceeding my expectations inspires my work every day. Growing up in the desert hills near the Haitian border in the Dominican Republic, Daniela has never had paved floors, has never had running water, has never had an indoor bathroom, and has always lived in extreme poverty. Passionate about healthcare and the wellbeing of herself and others, Daniela has been working beside me for the last two years, collaborating with community members to improve theirs and her own healthcare. Daniela is not only the most incredibly motivated and resilient person I know, her friendship has been one of the most impactful on my life. I have been lucky enough to be given so many opportunities to help me succeed as a professional. She has helped me gain appreciation for all of the opportunities I have been given, driving me to commit myself to make the largest impact possible on people’s health. Daniela recently told me that my influence in her community not only brought health education to the community as a whole, but also has helped her personal development. In return with her friendship and the memories I have with her, my life has been changed for the better. She inspires me to be resilient, to follow my dreams of becoming the best person I can be and follow my dreams despite obstacles that may come. Even though I am moving back to the United States soon and will be thousands of miles away from her instead of a two-minute walk down the road, I know I will always have her presence with me. I hope to continue a life-long friendship with this incredible woman. I hope to be resilient in my life like Daniela, be resilient for myself and all those around me.