Whether the weather is stifling hot, excruciatingly cold, or anything in between, you can bet your bottom dollar that at 8 a.m. sharp Dawn is taking Chloe for a walk. Dawn is known throughout our community as “the British woman who walks her dog everywhere.” Every day for the past six years, she has taken Chloe, our yellow Lab, for a leisurely two-hour walk around town. Through these walks, and over time, she has compiled a motley assortment of friends and acquaintances, from a bashful 20-year-old dog groomer to a spunky 90-year-old kite maker. Although her friends are quite diverse, there is one common thread that ties them together: they are oblivious of the hardships Dawn has overcome to make her everyday life possible.

As a child, Dawn possessed a passionate desire to learn. Daughter to a British “Bobby” (policeman), Dawn and her four siblings constantly moved around the United Kingdom every time he was restationed. Nonetheless, her acute intellect and undisputed diligence led her to thrive in school.

By 21, she was well on her way up the elevator of success; she had studied diligently for a nursing degree, earned a highly competitive internship in Saudi Arabia, and fallen in love. She was on top of the world when the unthinkable happened: a debilitating stroke. Everything Dawn had known, everything she had loved, everything she had worked for was lost in an instant. The left side of her body was completely paralyzed, and major parts of her brain were declared dead. Doctors doubted she would ever walk or talk again, let alone have children. Dawn, however, begged to differ.

She concentrated all her efforts on one mission: prove everyone wrong. Her childhood diligence was ever-eminent in Dawn’s recovery. Every day for five long years, she struggled to control her emotions and complete tasks she had previously taken for granted: eating, drinking, and watching TV. Six years later, Dawn strolled along the coast of the North Sea with her border collie, Zoe, wearing a smile that spoke a thousand words: she had accomplished the impossible. While doctors may call my mother’s recovery a “medical miracle,” I know her perseverance and passion paved the way.

Whenever I need a helping hand, she offers guidance that has molded me into the diligent, inspired person I am today. Through her experiences and encouragement, she has taught me that nothing is impossible. Her strength has equipped me with the drive to never accept mediocrity. In times when I feel hopeless, I imagine how my mother would handle the situation. This always supplies me with the strength to overcome obstacles, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Every day my mother walks our dog all over town. As she greets her friends, she is blissfully aware of the accomplishments that proved the experts wrong and allowed her to live life to the fullest. Strolling down the Atlantic coast, she wears a smile that offers refreshment on a blistering summer day and warmth on a bitter winter night: her smile is the epitome of success.