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Joanna

I was 14 throughout my pregnancy and I had him when I was 14. I did want to take on the responsibility of having William. I did feel like I was going have to do it alone because his dad was denying it, although he was the only man I had ever been with. So I knew he was the father but he was denying it and I had trouble with that because one minute he would bring something over to the house for William and then the next minute it’s like he didn’t even know me.

If I didn’t have William, I don’t know where I’d be because of all the drastic situations that have come forth in my life, there’s no way I could handle them. The main reason that I stayed in school was so that I could get a good education, go on to college. I plan on going on to college so that I am able to support him and give him the best…the things that he deserves…to give him a decent life. I do everything I do for him. He’s my number-one priority.

When he goes away for a day or a night over to his Grammy’s house, I can’t sleep. I’m so used to him being there and the loud noise, and when he’s gone it’s like silence and I can’t stand it.

My dad always had a philosophy and, like I said, there was a lot of stressful situations that have come my way, but one thing that my dad used to say and it always sticks to me is that where there’s a will there’s a way. And if I’ve gotten this far, I can achieve further. You can basically do anything you put your mind to. You just need to have the will and courage to go through with it.

I believe that I’m going to succeed because I have William there, and every time I look at him I see, you know, this little boy that came into this world unexpected. And instead of giving him to somebody else, I decided to keep him, hoping to give him the very best. And that pushes me on further so that he can have a good life and have the things that I didn’t have, and to be there for him. He’s right there for me, and every time I look at him, you know, the three words that everybody loves, “I love you, mama”…those are just so precious.