My sister, Marissa, she’s been through ten times more than the average teenage girl. She’s so strong about everything. When she was in Eighth grade she was diagnosed with Scoliosis, Scoliosis is a curve in your back. Kids in her class hurt her, and it made me want to rush into that school and point out everything that's wrong with them like they did to her.

The doctor said Marissa could straighten her back by having a surgery. This surgery would take a year to recover and be as painful as tearing off all of your back muscle. According to the doctors, She wouldn't be able to do most Cheer Stunts and Cart wheels, that tore Marissa apart because cheering was her life. Aside from all the physical pain she will be in, She will also have a lot of emotional pain also!

After enjoying her last bit of cheer, she had her back surgery it was the Summer before her Sophomore year, June 10, I will never forget that day! They placed two medal rods on both sides of her back. And then they sewed her back up with screws. It added about five pounds to her weight. It was devastating seeing her in the hospital. She had a Pick Line in her arm that gave medicine to her heart.

About a month later she was back in the hospital for another surgery. She unfortunately had an infection and they had to open her back up and clean everything. Marissa thought she was all done with surgeries. But it ended up that this surgery was even more painful than the first surgery itself. A year flew by, Marissa was fully recovered. Until she got sick and her back started hurting too. It turns out that the infection came back. She was rushed into the hospital for yet another back surgery. I cannot even explain to you tell you how upset and emotional my family and I were! This Surgery had to be by far the worst for her. She woke up constantly in the middle of the night screaming Bloody Murderer. It was horrible! It brought us to tears. In the surgery they took her rods out because that was what was causing the infections. They accidentally sewed the drain in her back. They had to open her up again and take it out.

Throughout all the sadness and tears she’s been through she still goes through every day like it’s nothing! My sister has been through a ton in the last three years! I look up to her and I know what she has been through. I love her with all my heart, more than she knows! When people look at her they see a pretty girl who probably gets everything she wants and her life is perfect. Outside of her I see a gorgeous girl. Inside I see a Strong girl who knows what life’s really about! Me and my sister have a connection. We are so close, closer than ever before. When ever I’m upset about something she always knows what to say. That's why I love her!