Dear Editor,

When I walk across the graduation stage this year, there will be two people missing from the audience who should have been there — my mother and my father. Like many graduates, I dreamed of seeing them smile with pride as I received my degree; instead, I will carry their love and memory with me in my heart.

I lost my mother when I was 16 years old and my father when I was 18. Losing both parents before I reached adulthood changed my life forever. The grief was overwhelming, and there were many days when I questioned how I would continue without the two people who had always been my greatest source of love and support. Yet, even in my darkest moments, I refused to let my circumstances define my future.

My journey was made even more challenging by growing up in an inner-city community, where opportunities are often limited and many young people face poverty, violence, and the belief that their dreams are out of reach. Too often people judge communities like mine by their struggles instead of recognising the hard-working, determined individuals who live there. I want my story to prove that your environment does not have to determine your destination.

The road to graduation was not easy. There were financial struggles, emotional battles, and moments when giving up seemed like the easier option. Every assignment, every examination, and every late night of studying required determination. There were times when I cried in silence because I wished my parents were still here to encourage me. But I kept reminding myself that quitting would mean giving up on the future they would have wanted for me.

My Christian faith became my greatest source of strength. When I felt alone, I prayed. When I felt discouraged, I trusted that God had a purpose for my life, even when I could not understand His plan. My faith reminded me that although I had lost my parents, I had not lost hope.

Today, my graduation represents far more than earning a university degree. It represents perseverance, faith, resilience, and the courage to keep moving forward despite heartbreak. It is proof that tragedy does not have to be the end of someone’s story.

I hope my journey encourages every child who has lost a parent, every young person growing up in an underserved community, and everyone who feels forgotten. Your beginning does not have to determine your ending. Your pain does not cancel your purpose.

This milestone is also the beginning of a new chapter. My dream is to continue my education and become a psychologist so I can support individuals facing emotional and mental health challenges. Having experienced grief and hardship myself, I understand how important it is for people to have someone who listens, understands, and believes in them.

As I walk across the stage, I will not hear my parents cheering or have the opportunity to celebrate with them. That will always leave an empty space in my heart. But I believe they would be proud of the woman I have become.

This degree is for them, for the little girl who refused to give up, and for every young person growing up in a community like mine who wonders if success is possible. I want them to know that it is.

No matter where you come from or what you have lost, with faith, determination, and perseverance, your story can become one of hope.

S Davis

davisshanieka8@gmail.com