GIRLS, NOT EVEN LIVING IN A
HOMELESS SHELTER, TAKE A LOOK.
>> LOOK AT THE NURSES, AND BE
LIKE I WANT TO DO THAT.
>> IT WAS A DREAM SHE HELD ONTO
AT 20 YEARS OLD SHE WAS A SINGLE
MOM TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET BY
WORKING AS A HOSPITAL
HOUSEKEEPER.
SHE BECAME A CERTIFIED NURSING
ASSISTANT, BUT DREAMED OF ONE
DAY GOING TO SCHOOL TO BECOME A
FULL FLEDGED NURSE.
>> NURSES JUST WELL ROUNDEDLY
ARE NICE PEOPLE, AND I WANTED TO
HELP PEOPLE.
>> A FEW YEARS LATER PREGNANT
WITH HER SECOND CHILD, AND
WANTING A BETTER LIFE FOR HER
FAMILY, SHE APPLIED TO PENN
STATES NURSING PROGRAM.
>> YOU WERE WORKING IN A
HOSPITAL, AND YOU COULD LIKE --
YOU WERE THIS CLOSE TO YOUR
DREAM.
YOU COULD SEE IT
WHEN DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE
ACCEPTED
>> SO TO GET INTO PENN STATE IS
SUPER HARD
WHEN I GOT ACCEPTED I WAS
FLABBERGASTED WITH EXCITEMENT.
BETTER WAS COMING.
>> TALK TO ME ABOUT THE
DIFFICULTIES YOU ENDURED AND
FOUGHT THROUGH.
>> I HAD TO MOVE BACK WITH MY
MOM BUT TRYING TO RAISE KIDS IN
YOUR MOTHERS HOUSE IS NOT
ALWAYS THE BEST SITUATION.
SO SOMETIMES WE DO HAVE
ARGUMENTS.
AND I DIDNT WANT MY KIDS TO
THINK LIKE, WERE GOING TO ARGUE
LIKE THIS.
SO ONE ARGUMENT, I GOT KICKED
OUT --
>> FEELING HELPLESS, SHE FELT
SHE HAD NO OTHER OPTION BUT TO
CALL PENNSYLVANIAS CHILD
WELFARE SYSTEM.
>> WHEN YOU HAVE TO CALL
CHILDREN AND YOUTH ON YOURSELF
ITS SCARY WHEN YOU THINK OF
THAT, YOU THINK YOUR KIDS WILL
GET TAKEN AWAY.
>> BUT THE STATE HELPED HER AND
HER GIRLS FIND A SHELTER AND
ENROLLED HER IN AN EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAM THAT WOULD CHANGE THEIR
LIFE.
>> THEY DID NOT WANT TO TAKE MY
KIDS AWAY, THEY HAVE RESOURCES
TO GET YOU TO WHERE YOU NEED TO
BE.
>> IT ALLOWED HER TO HAVE STABLE
HOUSING AS LONG AS SHE WAS
SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL.
>> I WANTED TO GIVE UP SO MANY
TIMES.
LIKE, THEY HAVE A COUNSELOR
THERE THAT YOU MEET WITH EVERY
DAY, ROSALYNN, SHE WAS MY
MOTIVATOR, SHE WOULD NOT LET ME
QUIT.
>> SHE HAD A LOT OF
PERSEVERANCE
SHE WAS VERY DETERMINED, KNEW
WHAT SHE WANTED TO DO BUT JUST
DIDNT KNOW HOW TO GET THERE
HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF PUSH, A
CHEER LEELDER IN YOUR CORNER
SAYING YES, YOU CAN DO IT, BY
HELPING HER HAVE A ROOF OVER HER
HEAD, HAVING CHILD CARE SHE
COULD DEPEND ON SHE WAS ABLE TO
MAKE EDUCATION A PRIORITY.
>> I COULD ONLY LIVE THERE IF I
PASSED SCHOOL, SO I HAD TO FOCUS
ON SCHOOL FOR MY KIDS.
THERE WAS NO OPTION ON FAILING
AT THIS POINT.
IM NOT GOING TO GO BACK.
>> AND IN DECEMBER OF 2019 AT
AGE 26 SHE GRADUATED FROM
NURSING SCHOOL.
>> YOU WORKED, YOU WORKED, YOU
WORKED
WHAT WAS IT LIKE THE DAY YOU
GRADUATED?
>> OH, I COULDNT STOP CRYING.
EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, WHY ARE YOU
CRYING
AND IM JUST LIKE, YOU HAVE NO
CLUE HOW HARD THIS WAS FOR ME.
I KNEW THAT LIFE WAS GOING TO BE
A LOT BETTER AFTER THAT DAY.
>> A 20-YEAR-OLD WHO WORKED IN A
HOSPITAL AND JUST DREAMED OF
BEING A NURSE, WHAT DO YOU THINK
SHE WOULD THINK OF WHAT YOU DO
EVERY DAY NOW?
>> PROBABLY JUST BE SMILING AND
CLAPPING, YOU DID THIS.
>> YOU SURE DID.
YOU MENTIONED ROSALYNN, WHO
WORKED AT THE SHELTER, AND WAS
YOUR STRENGTH IN SO MANY WAYS.
I WANT YOU TO WALK TO YOUR FRONT
DOOR TAKE US WITH YOU
TAKE US WITH YOU
BECAUSE WEVE GOT A LITTLE
SURPRISE
HEY!
>> PHYLICIA, THATS NOT QUITE IT
YET THOUGH, WE KNOW HOW HARD YOU
HAVE WORKED, TO NOT ONLY BECOME
A NURSE, BUT NOW THROUGH THE
LAST YEAR DURING THE PANDEMIC,
HELPING WITH ALL OF YOUR
PATIENTS WHO NEEDED YOU, SO WE
THINK, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU
DESERVE A LITTLE BREAK, OKAY
SO WE ARE SO EXCITED, BECAUSE
THE FOLKS AT MIAMI WELLNESS
RETREAT ARE GIVING YOU A FOUR
NIGHT STAY AT THEIR LUXURY
RESORT
YOURE GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO
ALL OF THEIR AMENITY, THE SPA,
THE BEACH, AND GUESS WHAT, ROUND
TRIP AIRFARE, UP TO FOUR PEOPLE,
SO YOU CAN TAKE YOUR GIRLS WITH
YOU.
>> YAY
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
>> ISNT SHE JUST AMAZING?
>> LOVE HER, LOVE HER.