We, all of us here, are blessed with the ability to hear, talk, walk, and run. However, there are many people in this world that can’t do any of these, and will never be able to.  When I step back and look at my life, I realize that I am truly blessed. I have loving family and friends who are always there for me; supporting and teaching me along the way. I love to play sports and have sleepovers with my friends, but more than anything, I love helping the young, weak, and disabled people of our community. What I know for sure is that God gave me certain gifts so I can share them with others less fortunate than I, and that my service with these individuals has been the best experience of my life so far.

More than anything, I love helping the disabled. When I was in Pre-K and Kindergarten, I was having the best time of my life. I had my friends, whom I had scheduled play dates with and frequent trips to Chucky Cheese.  I also had Ryan Fannan. Ryan is deaf and has Down’s syndrome. Everyone in the class had just learned how to speak English, and if he wasn’t going to speak English, then they wouldn’t talk to him. He spoke sign language, and only the teachers understood him. He was the most influential person of my entire life, and I met him when I was only four years old. Because Ryan was deaf, he couldn’t communicate with anyone in our class. So one day I decided that I wanted to learn sign language so I could talk to him. It was really hard at first, but when I wanted to give up, Ryan was right there smiling at me, and once I saw that smile, I was never turning back. It took me awhile but once I had learned it, some of the other children would come over asking how to spell their names and how to say ‘hello.’ Once I had learned sign language, Ryan and I were tied at the hip, and because I befriended him, and was also friends with the others, he was now everyone’s friend. If he had to say something in class or to a friend, I would translate for him, and if he needed something, I was always there to help. He is the most amazing person I have ever met. He let me into his life, and he loved me to no end. He changed me and is inside my heart forever. When I was home sick from school, Ryan cried so hard that he had to be moved into a separate classroom. But by the end of Kindergarten, we had to go our separate ways. Now, whenever I see someone disabled or needing help, I always see Ryan appear in my heart, and I’m urged to help as much as I can. I was blessed to have Ryan in my life, that, I know for sure.

More than anything, I love helping the people who lack strength. One of my classmates from Pre-K and Kindergarten turned out to be my best friend until I was 11 years old. Our parents dated and she and her brother moved in. Her name was Peyton. We always thought it would be Peyton and Katelyn against the world. Peyton’s grandmother, Deenie, has two prosthetic legs. At age seven, Deenie and her nine year old sister were sitting on her front porch step when a drunk driver lost control of his car, hit them both, killed her sister and took both of her legs. Deenie is one of the strongest people I know. She helped me with homework, and I helped her and saw her every day. I went by to check on her, reminded her of her medicines, and went for walks during the spring and fall seasons. Deenie told me that one day I would change the world for the people less fortunate than I, and that I would change the ways the less fortunate are treated and cared for. I’m hoping she is right. I was blessed to have Deenie inspire me, I know that for sure.

More than anything, I love helping the young. Although I am very young as well, I have a new young addition to my family. My mother is getting married in September, and her fiancé has a daughter named Canyon. She is six years old and an only child. She is a blessing to have around, and she has tied herself to me and even buys the same clothing as me. Honestly, I love that. She is different than I. I grew up with my older brother Dustin, being used to competitions, late nights, and definitely not always getting what I wanted. As soon as I met her, I took her under my wing, and she obviously liked me because as soon as she heard our parents were to be married, she started calling me ‘sissy.’  I am hoping that I can help her through life, with girl drama and guy troubles, because I have never had a sister. However, I am blessed to have a new sister and that I know for sure.

Finally, I know for sure that I am devoting my life and my free time to those who need it most, the disabled, the young, and the weak. They have shown me that I am blessed for everything and everyone I have in my life, and that they are happy and content with everything in their life. That’s what inspires me; that they are happy even though they don’t know what color their room is or can never hear their mother’s voice.  What I know for sure is that I am blessed, and that I am going to help others who are not as fortunate as I.