Hello my name is Maisha Nyrea Garrard age 33. I grow up in a single family home on the Northwest side of town along with my mother, identical twin sister, and two brothers. My twin sister and I were diagnosed with cerebral palsy at a very earlier age. I have lived with cerebral palsy all my life. My disability causes me to use a wheelchair for most of my everyday life. I also use a walker and leg braces to get around from time to time. Although being in a wheelchair has presented a lot of challenges along the way, I am happy to say that I have conquered most of them. I get my strength and hard work ethic from my parents. My parents instilled in me at a very early age that I am no different than anyone else. If I want something I have to work hard to obtain it.
In 1996, I graduated from Northwest High School and went to college for about a year. While attending Ivy Tech State College I was given a great opportunity for full time employment in the fall of 1997 at the Indianapolis VA Medical Center, where I have worked for the past twelve and half years. In April 2000, I gave birth to my son Jalen who loves playing basketball and football and in March 2002, I gave birth to my daughter Kennedy who loves to talk and dance. My children have brought great joy into my life. Over the past two years I have work very hard to make my dream of being a homeowner come true. I look forward to seeing the smiles on my children faces when we walk through the door of our new home. This will be reward enough for me just knowing that everything I had to scarafice thus far has been well worth it to make my dream a reality that my family and I can be proud of. After I become a homeowner my dreams will not stop there. I am also actively pursuing and finishing up my driver training lessons with Easter Seals Crossroads to become a license driver giving my children and me the independence we need to be a family on the move. After I obtain my driver’s license and vehicle I plan to return to school to further my education to receive a degree in Education. My ultimate goal is to retire with twenty years from the federal government and pursue my childhood dream of being an elementary school teacher so I give back to the community and make a difference in a young child’s life. Here’s to making dreams coming true in 2010!
God Bless,
Maisha Nyrea Garrard