Rising From the Beginning Again: How Starting Over Became My Greatest Strength
From a Target Cashier to Senior Nursing Leader: A Story of Resilience, Service, and Reinvention
I was born and raised in the Philippines, where I earned my bachelor's degree in business management and believed I had a clear path ahead of me. But when I immigrated to the United States, everything I thought I knew about my future changed. My degree didn't translate here, my experience didn't count, and I found myself starting from the very beginning—not just professionally, but personally, culturally, and emotionally.
My first job in America was as a cashier at Target. I still remember the weight of that moment: standing behind a register, scanning items, and wondering how I would rebuild a life that suddenly felt as though it had been reset to zero. It was humbling. It was hard. And it was the beginning of everything.
Joining the Navy
During those early months, I met my husband, who was serving in the United States Navy. His commitment to service inspired me, and soon I made a decision that would change the entire trajectory of my life. I joined the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. It was not glamorous. It was not easy. But it was the first time in America that I felt my work had purpose.
I worked relentlessly, studying late at night and pushing myself to learn, grow, and prove that I belonged. That effort paid off when I earned a full scholarship to complete my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I graduated magna cum laude, a moment that felt like reclaiming every dream I thought I had lost when I left the Philippines.
Deployed to Afghanistan
But my journey as a nurse was far from simple. When duty called, the Navy sent me to Afghanistan during the war to care for our wounded soldiers and Marines. The training was harder than I expected, but nothing prepared me for what happened the moment our plane landed.
The lights went out.
Everything turned dark.
Then came a loud shout:
"Run."
I ran as fast as I could, not even knowing where I was going, simply following the heavy footsteps of my group. My heart was pounding, my mind was blank, and all I could think about was keeping moving. We made it to safety that night, and we made it through the entire deployment.
The Most Honorable Experience of My Life
That deployment changed my life forever. It was nerve-racking, intense, and, at the same time, the most honorable experience of my life. I cared for wounded soldiers and Marines whose courage was beyond anything I had ever seen. I witnessed pain, resilience, sacrifice, and humanity in its rawest form.
It made me realize how fortunate I was compared to others. It taught me to stop worrying about the small things that used to bother me. It gave me a deeper purpose—to serve others, to lead with compassion, and to value every blessing I had.
When I returned home, I carried a new perspective: Life is bigger than fear, bigger than setbacks, and bigger than the moments that try to break us. My nursing career became not just a profession, but a calling shaped by resilience, service, and gratitude.
From Johns Hopkins to Senior Nursing Leader
That calling led me to pursue advanced education, earning dual Master of Science in Nursing degrees in Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist and Health Systems Management from Johns Hopkins University, once again through a full scholarship from the United States Navy. Walking across that stage and receiving my master's degrees was a moment of pride and reflection. It symbolized how far I had come—from starting over to standing tall at one of the most respected institutions in the world.
Today, I serve as a Senior Nursing Leader at Holy Cross Health in Silver Spring, Maryland, where I oversee more than 600 nursing professionals. Every day, I carry the lessons of my journey—humility, courage, discipline, and purpose—into the way I lead, mentor, and advocate for others.
Beginning Again
I share my story because so many women are standing at the edge of reinvention, wondering if they have the strength to start again.
You do.
You can.
And sometimes, beginning again is exactly what transforms you into the woman you were meant to become.
