A teen girl who was forced to raise her five younger siblings after her parents passed away from cancer just years apart has opened up about her though years as a teenager.
Now-21-year-old Samantha Rodriguez was just 17 when she took on the role of a mother following the death of her parents who left behind six children.
Since then, young Samantha has been in charge of raising her five siblings at their family home in Orlando, Florida.
“My reality [was] I’m 17 but these are my brothers and sisters, and when I looked at them, I knew that they’re children. They’re vulnerable and they need an adult, so I became their adult,” the young woman recalled.
And so, Samantha learned how to cook, take her siblings to school, and help them prepare for their exams. On top of all that, she also took on the job of a waitress to financially provide for the family.
“I get a lot of that strength from my mother. I spent a lot of time with her and I admired her so much. When we lost her, I knew that I wanted to be just like her in every way. That’s what I wanted to do for the kids,” she added, explaining that she’s determined to stay positive about her situation regardless of the load she carries on her shoulders.
Milagros Rodriguez, Samantha’s younger sister, has also spoken out about her hero and said Samantha “gave up basically her life to take care of us.”
“When I realized that I wanted the kids to finish and that I wanted them to be successful, I was like I need to give them that example and show them,” Samantha added as she explained she returned to school to get a degree after quitting her studies in order to take care of her sick parents.
“This is what makes me, me. It makes me so happy to be with them and to be there for them. It’s very enjoyable for me.”
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