| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | My most memorable childhood experience was going on vacation with my family to a town called Corolla, North Carolina at the start of every summer. I learned so many skills and had so much fun with my family. My father taught me to fish, I learned how to surf, and my mom taught me the value of buying winter clothes in the summer! |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | I identify most with my grandmother. I always send her pictures of interesting and unique flowers that I come across and she sends me stories from her home in the mountains. She once woke up to find a teenage black bear in her driveway! His name is now Brutus, and he likes old bread. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | I admire natural charisma, down to earth wisdom, and inner emotional strength. I admire a person who knows themselves and not only knows their limitations but knows how to push those limits and grow stronger as a person. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | The funniest thing to ever happen to me was when I was only 6 years old. It was a cold winter and the snow was nearly two feet deep. We lived on my grandmother's old farm which had several small barn houses and even a truck garage. Snowplows had pushed the snow all the way up against the garage, creating a ramp straight to the roof. 6-year-old me thought it would be a great idea to try and climb that ramp so I could be king of the barnyard! Sure enough, halfway up the ramp, my right leg went straight down into the snow, and I got stuck out there in the cold for over an hour. I called out for help as loud as I could. I thought I was done for. That was until one of the barn dogs, a black lab named Smedley, came to my "rescue." I called out to him, and he climbed the ramp. I thought he was going to dig me out. Nope! He came up and licked my face and then went off to play in the snow with the other dogs. I was so mad, screaming things like "You dumb dog! Get back here!" Luckily, I was eventually able to dig myself out and got back into the house before it got dark. Both my mom and grandmother were in the kitchen, laughing and having a great time and then both turned to see me, red in the face from crying. "I was calling for help! Why didn't you guys hear me?" I said. They both said, "We thought you were having a good time!" |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | I would travel to Ireland to visit all the historical sites and to hear all the untold stories of my family. It's also a beautiful country with loads of scenic views and restaurants. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | I hope to pass on my work ethic and determination. Changing careers is hard but sometimes it's needed to achieve what you want out of life. Knowing how to strap in and work hard is a very valuable skill to have. |
