Her story begins when she was one year old; Melissa’s parents divorced. Her mother had to work exhaustingly to bring food to the table. Melissa confessed they faced very hard situations in Mexico. She mentioned they never had luxuries, their income was limited to survive day by day. Moreover, because Melissa wanted to change that and provide a better life for her family. At the age on nine, she immigrated to the United States to pursue her “American Dream”. “When I moved, I had to separate from my family, I missed my mom and my sister so much I couldn’t contain my tears every night,” Melissa stated, “but I always knew that my sacrifices would pay off in the future.” Miss. Castro confessed she had to live with different relatives across the Rio Grande Valley in order for her to continue her education. She confessed to us she never had a place she could …show more content…
call home. “At that young age I needed the love and affection of my mother, but I never had that privilege. I had to learn to do things by myself and know what was best for me.” Castro stated.
It was very important for Melissa to attend college, so during her high school years, she always tried to be one of the best students in her school.
Castro was able to attend the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Services. Melissa also earned a Master’s and Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Counseling. Altogether, at the age of 28, Miss. Castro opened her own Rehabilitation Center in McAllen, TX. “The day I saw my own Rehab Center open, I was complete. I waited 28 years for this moment. All of the sacrifices and situations I had go through just for this moment definitely paid off. I felt the happiest woman
alive.”
Today Melissa lives a very successful life where she has her own children Rehab Center; her goals of assisting and helping people with disabilities came true and was able to provide her family a better life than what they had in Mexico.
We have the honor to call Melissa Castro “the girl that never gave up”. Melissa managed to be a hard-working girl in a completely different country; her situations and sacrifices were the inspiration to her educational and professional goals. She wants to show people that even though she was on her own, it was possible to achieve great things and anyone who is going through a similar situation, everything is possible.