They Did It in Spite of . . .

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Published by Rachelle Disbennett-Lee
Sunday, July 7, 2002
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Sheila Williams -Years of financial struggles and raising five children alone had led Williams to a serious drug abuse problem and then jail. It was during her stint behind bars that Williams decided to turn her life around. Since then, she has weaned herself from drugs, enrolled at Wake Technical Community College and regained custody of her five children.

Phong "Greg" Thanh Ho - Ho's family left Vietnam in 1982 and spent a year in a refugee camp before moving to the United States. Ho's father died of cancer in 1987, and he was left to be translator and provider for the rest of the family. He managed to graduate from High School and attends East Carolina University.

Karen MacKenzie - MacKenzie was only 15 when she and her sister were abandoned by their parents. MacKenzie eventually joined the army, where she earned her GED, and is now in her third year of medical school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Rebekah Starling - Starling grew up in an abusive home and was eventually placed in foster care. She graduated from High School and is enrolled at N.C. State University.

Tiniki White - White suffered abuse at home, and had to take responsibility for raising his four brothers and sisters. After school, he worked six hours a night to earn money for the family to buy food. Despite all this, White did well in High School and enrolled at Winston-Salem State University where he is now a junior studying physical therapy. He hopes to attend medical school.

These five young people were awarded scholarships that recognize people who have turned their lives around after overcoming enormous obstacles such as jail, drugs, physical abuse, poverty or homelessness.

From the article "Five who overcame obstacles honored" by Chris O'Brien, Staff Writer for the News and Observer."

Coaching

And what will you do in spite of?

Daily Success Formula

Perseverance + Courage = Overcoming the insurmountable

Quotes

"Fall seven times, stand up eight." Japanese Proverb

"Never give in. Never. Never. Never. Never." Sir Winston Churchill

"There is really no insurmountable barrier save your own inherent weakness of purpose." Ralph Waldo Emerson