My Story
Growing up in Upstate NY, my world revolved around hockey. I had an ice rink in my backyard where I would skate and play hockey with my friends outside my club team practices and games. Unfortunately, I had consistent stomach problems since birth that seemed to worsen as I grew. I was sick frequently, and my parents were concerned. Finally, I was diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s disease through various tests with specialists. Hirschsprung’s disease is when you are born without nerve endings in your colon. After invasive surgery, I was placed in a trial study to put a permanent port and infusion line directly into my colon. My surgery was successful, but I needed time to recuperate from school and sports.
My mom got me a “learn to draw” book while I was at Boston Children’s Hospital, and my passion grew. I began to draw everything from animals to athletes and sports. My love went from paper and pencil to the computer and Adobe Photoshop as I enhanced my skills. I created “commitment” graphics for high school athletes and found an internship to continue my passion for graphic design. I interned for the PGA of Northeast New York for two summers running their social media pages and creating graphics. During my tenure at the PGA, I also spent a great deal of time taking photos and videos at sanctioned events.
My goal is to inspire people with my story and graphic design. I want to use this as motivation to others because, despite the obstacles that I faced, I persevered and not only grew my love for sports but found another passion in graphic design. Never say never and never quit; anything is possible.
