Undergraduate / Dr. Schorr has made an impact on my life [5]

any criticism or advice would be much appreciated...thank you!!!! =)

Write an essay in which you tell us about someone who has made an impact on your life and explain how and why this person is important to you.

"Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never ever the same." Flavia Weedn said it perfectly. As we go through life, people come and go, but some change us forever. For me, this individual came into my life when I needed him most and for that I can never be thankful enough. He taught me the true meaning of perseverance and never giving up, no matter how hard or impossible things may seem. Joel Schorr is and forever will be an inspiration to me.

I was a sophmore in high school when I finally had the courage to tell my mother what had happened to me as a child. I had been sexually abused by a teacher, and for the longest time I was afraid, embarrassed, and overall ashamed to admit this to anybody. I had tried to simply forget about this traumatizing event, to pretend as if it did not happen. But I could not just forget, my self esteem was low, my view of love was warped, and my nightmares were worse than ever. After I decided to tell my mother, I thought that these things would get better; perhaps I could feel better about myself,and I could have the support that I needed. However, although the support was there, the nightmares and my lowering self esteem did not leave me. I was at an all time low and I felt as if I wanted to just give up completely;on school, on my future, and on myself.

Then Dr. Schorr came into my life and , I did not know it at the time, but he would change my life. He was a truly amazing man. Ed Cunningham once said "friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer." Well, if this is true, then Dr.Schorr was my best friend. Each day I would come to him, tears streaming and doubts about myself just flying, and each day he would comfort me and tell me it was all going to be alright, and reassure me to have hope and faith that things will get better. He would tell me that what happened to me does not change who I am, and life's circumstances do not define me as a person. Against what I thought of myself, he would tell me that I could be anything I wanted to be, and accomplish any task I set my mind to.

About a month later he told me that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and he would probably be cutting down his hours as a counselor, due to the chemotherapy and radiation he would be undergoing. This news broke my heart. But what seemed to confuse me even more, was how calm he was about the situation. He seemed to have no fear. I asked him if he was scared and he said "No, I have lived my life the best I can, and I know that what is meant to happen, will...and I know that I should just live my life to the fullest".

Dr. Schorr passed away about 6 months later. And although I was extremely sad about this, I thought about what he said to me. I thought about how he never looked at things in a pessimistic way, but rather always looked at it in a hopeful and optimistic way. From that moment on, I promised myself that I would live up to my potential. I would never look at something and say "i cant do it" but I would look at anything and say I can try my best, and I will succeed. Dr. Schorr indeed left a footprint on my heart and will always be an inspiration to me.