“I wouldn't be where I am today without them” Kiana said.

“Im thankful to have them as my parents, because they are teaching me new things to

succeed in life”says Jasmine

“Being the only son I love my parents, because they work hard for what I need, and

help me succeed in school.” Jose Jr says

“Im thankful for my parents, because they love me, and get me what I want.” Brianna says.

“I'm not there birth child, i'm not there daughter, there not my legal guardians, but without them I wouldn't have the dreams I have I wouldn't get the grades I get, I wouldn't have what I have. I look up to my aunt, and uncle, and I see them as my parents.”

“You are not my daughter but i will do anything, and everything to be your father figure.” My uncle tells me while hugging me.

“You're not just my nice but you are also like my own child, and don't forget that.” My aunt says while pulling me into a tight hug.

I look over to my uncle, and he is hugging my 8 year old, and 12 year old brothers, I was 9 years old at the time. I can see the sadness in everyone's eyes a tear drops from my little brothers face, as he makes his way to me, and my crying aunt.

“I don't want to go please don't make me go.” He says, while breaking down into tears.

“You have to go she is your mother we will see you guys soon”

It was June 12, 2012 my mom had finally sent out for us. It has been 4 years, since I had last seen her. My aunt Vanessa took care of me along with my uncle Jose. My aunt is about 5’2, she has short black hair, she is full Puerto Rican kind of light skinned, and she has hazel eyes. My uncle is around 5’7 he has black hair he is full Mexican, his skin tone is lighter than my aunts, and he also has hazel eyes. My mother left me, and my brothers in Las Vegas for 4 years, she moved to Chicago so she can be a dancer. She left me, and my brothers with my aunt, and uncle, but there were so many kids in one house 8 kids to be exact counting me. It was very hard to keep food on the table for everyone so eventually they split me, and my brothers up from each other. They went to live with my other uncle Santos. I would see them rarely on special occasions only. My mom leaving me was the most complicated that is what broke us apart.

******PAST

“I promise I would come, and visit you” My mom told me holding my hand while my brothers, aunt, uncle, and I were standing at the airport saying good bye.

“You will come back for me right?” I asked her letting a tear or two slide down my face.

“Yes I will I promise. I love you, and I love your brothers, and i will come back for you.”

“Okay I love you to bye mommy.”

Two years later still no show. By this time I was 11 years old, and me, and my brothers were separated.

“How was school!” My aunt chirps walking into the kitchen.

She was off of work that day, she has be working at McDonald's for 13 years, and she made manager 4 years ago. It took a while for my aunt to get to where she is she got pregnant with my cousin Kiana when she was 15, so she had to drop out of school freshman year. My uncle dropped out when he was a senior and he was 19 years old. My grandpa’s, and grandma’s tried to split them up by taking my uncle back to his hometown in Mexico. My aunt and uncle caught on to the parents plan, and ran away together to Las Vegas. My aunt was 13 when she started to date my uncle, and my uncle was 17. They have been together for 12 years, and got married on August 25,2000. My uncle worked as a constructionist in this big old building that I would go to when I was a little girl, with my cousin Kiana. Kiana was born on May 5th,1999 in chicago in Elgin Illinois. Jasmine was born August 4,2002 in Las Vegas Nevada. Jose was born on March 24,2004 in Las Vegas. Brianna was born on may 1,2005. They have 4 kids, and not very good paying jobs, and they still took me in as there own, and gave me what i needed, they feed me, and best of all I felt like they were my parents.Something inside of me kept saying i have a father that I know nothing about, and a mother that looks like she don't care.

We were all going through some serious stuff when my aunt tore her ACL playing basketball. It was a tragedy that no one wanted to see but she was strong, and calm about it.

“Call the ambulance tell them we live at 249 Lin Lain, and one of you go wait outside till they get here. Kiana go get some ice, and my wrap.”

“Okay” she runs off to the kitchen.

“Hello yes this is an emergency. ‘ Something happened to my aunts leg, and she cant get up.”

“Okay get her some ice, and wrap, and wrap the ice around the injury till we send the ambulance, what's the address?”

“We live in uh.. um 249 Lin Lane.” I look over to my aunt, and she put a thumbs up to me telling me i did a good job.”

“249 line Lane, mhm. okay we got it they are on there way less than 5 minutes.”

“Okay thank you”

I put the house phone back onto the hook, and run outside till the ambulance arrived. I can hear the ambulance down the street, and so could the neighbors, because all of them came out there houses with curious faces. The truck stops in front of our house, and they run inside, after me.

“Go get the gurney” he tells his partner

He comes back with the gurney, and place my aunt on it she did scream in pain, and that caused the children to cry except for me, and Kiana.

“Lila you're in charge call your uncle, and tell him to go to the hospital ASAP. Tell him there is no time to explain, and to just hurry up.”

“Okay.” I say letting a tear slip out of my left eye, and wiping it away. ‘Everyone sit down please watch tv till they get back.’

10 days later my aunt is being brought into the house with crutches. She had got surgery to replace her ACL, and to repair her Middle Meniscus. It took her about a year to recover. But she will still cook for us, ask us how was school, and she would be out of bed when she was not supposed to when we got hurt. She was there for me through the thick, and thin.

When we are talking about heroes, we think of Superman or Spider man. Now that i'm at that certain age where i know heroes mean more than just unrealistic characters or cartoons. Heroes are People that put your needs before themselves, someone you can talk to freely, a person that gets you what you need when you need it, a person that wants you to have a bright future, etc. My aunt, and uncle are all of these things. They care for someone that isn't theirs so much that I trust her with my life, these two people I know they will never let me down no matter where life takes me they will be there, because of them I am where, and who I am today.