I was the first girl to my father and the apple of his eye. My father, however, had congestive heart failure and was in poor health. He passed away when I was only 18 months old, because of this, I don’t remember much about him. My mother remarried to my stepfather, Tony Bradford, a year later. My life changed drastically when I learned my parents were having another baby. My brother, Anthony Bradford was born on February 9, 1989. By this time I was attending Pre-K at Friends University. I went from becoming a big sister to having my first crush on a boy named John Browning. When Friends University closed down their school, I was only in the first grade/ second grade combination class. My stepfather adopted me and gave me his last name so that I would feel included in the family. My mother was told that OK Elementary had an excellent gifted program and that I was a gifted child.
Elementary school probably housed some of the worst memories of my life. Being that I spent my first few years in private school, I had a hard time adjusting to kids that were more concerned with being disruptive than learning. Despite this, I excelled academically with the help of my teachers and the encouragement of my family. I learned how to overcome adversity, maintain a positive attitude and keep my eyes on the prize.
My mother was insistent on me attending the same school as my brother because of the academic opportunities. From the 6th grade to the 12th grade I attended Wichita Collegiate School, a private school for K-12. It was these 6 years that shaped me for college. I learned life lessons, experienced hardships and firsts, and grew into my creative talents. Overall, I became an individual in these years. My poetic talents surfaced in the sixth grade when we had to write poems for assignments. I received recognition in the seventh grade when I wrote an essay about Alzheimer's that was published in newsletter. My parents’ divorcing when I was 13 was something that caused me to rebel. My academics suffered, as well as my self esteem. I started hanging with the wrong crowd, trying to find a place to belong. This is around the time I met my ex- best friend, Kenalee.
Over the next few years, my exposure to boys was extreme. I believe I spent a lot of time looking for male love and acceptance in the wrong places over the next few years.
The one event in my life that stands out the most was the death of Granny on February 16, 2001. This is the moment when I found some direction in my life. I became focused and most fascinated by death. This is when I decided that I would major in forensic pathology. I found that this program was one of the listed majors at the University of Central Florida. I applied and then began the process of convincing my mother. Over the summer following my junior year, I lost my virginity to the boy my mother hated. His name was CJ Cox and he was the football player from public school, wannabe thug, cheater that broke my heart time and time again. By the time my senior year was over, I had outgrown him and was dating a sophomore in college by the name of Marlon. He was a more mature a better influence. He taught me about being with someone who is proud to be with you. During my senior year, Kenalee and I had a falling out and we stopped speaking. Looking back, I wanted to protect her, but had a problem with her promiscuity. When I moved to Florida, Marlon chose to end the relationship because he felt that I needed to venture out and not be tied to a relationship. After experiencing my new found freedom, I tried another long distance relationship with a guy in West Palm. Of course it did not work out and at the end of the semester I found myself on academic probation because my lack of structure ultimately was my demise. My mother was furious. After a trip home, fresh perspective and a new love interest, Jermaine, I was ready to start my second semester. This semester, Kenalee and I resolved our differences and she even came to visit. During her visit, she helped me kick out my current boyfriend who was cheating on me. She told me that if I took him back, I would fail out of school. Took him back, failed out of school.
Letting him go was harder than I thought. He continued to flaunt women in my face and even messing around with Priscilla, a girl I befriended at a telemarketing job. Priscilla and I had a falling out and we stopped speaking. Looking back, I wanted to protect her, but had a problem with her promiscuity.
After all the madness, Kenalee came to cheer me up. I did not know it, but she was the reason that I met my fiancé, Mario. I had come to terms with myself and what I wanted in a mate.
Mario and I met in a clothing store. After hanging out with him, we shared our first kiss and the rest was history.Kenalee and I had a falling out and we stopped speaking. I was old enough to realize that she envied the new relationship that Mario and I had. She was the first of many.
Mario was different from the others; he appreciated me and cherished me. Mario forced me to cut the umbilical cord from my mother. He made me stand up to her and this resulted in me showing my independence to my mother. This has made my mother respect me as an adult and made our bond stronger.
After we got our first place together, we began to take on responsibility as adults. Mario and I depended on each other. We got to know one another and grew closer over the next three years. We experienced many ups and downs over the next three years that not only challenged our relationship, but strengthened our bond. Mario and I worked to pay off debts that we incurred to build our credit. Mario even proposed and now we are engaged. We just recently moved to our new place and are focused on building a foundation for a successful marriage and future.
In the next ten years I see myself married with 2-4 kids. I want to be a homeowner. My career will be in psychology, I will have a PhD in psychology and I want to make $80,000 to $120,000 per year. I would also like to write poems and short stories. I also want to work with gifted children to help them utilize their talents and adjust in school.
My eulogy is something that I would want to express the best of me. I would want to be remembered for my big heart. It would go something like this:
She was a kind person who touched the lives of everyone she met. Her warm and sweet spirit was a light to the world. Her nurturing and compassionate ways could be likened to the love that Jesus has for us. She not only had unconditional love, but she taught it to her children and brought this same love out in other people. Her laugh, smile and loving nature will be missed by all, especially her children, with whom she shared a very close bond. She is going to meet her Maker whom she loved more than life.
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