MY REAL LIFE STORY

Hi, my name is Evelyn Amaya, and some of y’all may know me. But today, I want to share a little more about my life and the experiences that have brought me to where I am today.

This is not an easy story for me to tell.

I’ve always tried to handle things on my own. I’ve always believed in working hard, helping people when I can, and trying to find a way forward even when life gets difficult. I’m not someone who likes asking for help.

But sometimes life puts you in a position where you have to put your pride aside and be honest about what you’re going through.

After I graduated from high school, I had goals for myself. I wanted to go to school, work, save money, and build a better future.

So I worked.

I went to TJC while working the night shift at Big Lots. I was trying to balance school and work while saving money because I wanted to buy myself a better car.

At the time, I had a green car.

Some of y’all probably remember seeing me driving it. Honestly, there were times when I felt embarrassed about it because it constantly gave me problems. It would overheat, break down, and leave me dealing with one problem after another.

But I kept driving it.

I needed it to get to work. I needed it to get where I needed to go. Even when I was frustrated, embarrassed, or worried that it might break down again, I kept getting behind the wheel.

Eventually, the problems became too much.

My car couldn’t reliably make the long drive, and I didn’t have another dependable way to get to college. I had to withdraw from school.

That was difficult for me.

But I didn’t stop trying.

I decided to focus on working. I got two jobs—Bath & Body Works during the day and Big Lots at night.

I was tired. I was working constantly. But I had a goal.

I wanted a better car.

I wanted something reliable.

I wanted to be able to get to work and continue building my future.

Later, I was hired to work at a middle school while continuing to work at Bath & Body Works at the mall. Eventually, I left Big Lots and focused on my school job while continuing to save money.

I even started looking for a third job at Amazon.

There were times when I barely had any sleep because I was so focused on working and saving.

But eventually, all that work paid off.

I saved enough money to get myself a better used car.

It wasn’t brand new.

But to me, it felt like something much bigger than that.

I was proud of myself.

Because I knew exactly what it took to get there.

That car represented the hours I worked.

The sleep I sacrificed.

The money I saved.

The days I was exhausted but still showed up.

It represented all the times life had made things difficult and I had refused to give up.

That car gave me a feeling of independence that meant so much to me.

I finally felt like I had something I had worked for myself.

But life didn’t stop testing me.

The used car I worked so hard to get started breaking down on me too.

I tried to attend college again, but things started going downhill. The school where I worked also had problems, and it felt like everything was happening at the same time.

One setback became another.

And eventually, I found myself struggling again.

Right now, I only have one job, and financially, it isn’t enough to handle everything I’m facing.

Thankfully, some of my close friends have been there for me. They have helped me when they could, and I will always be grateful for those people.

But now I’m facing another problem that I cannot solve financially by myself.

My car needs repairs costing around $3,000.

I found someone who knows how to fix it, but I simply don’t have the money to pay for the repairs right now.

And honestly, admitting that is hard.

Because I know how hard I worked to get that car.

I know how many hours I worked.

I know how much sleep I sacrificed.

I know how many times I told myself to keep going when I was exhausted.

And now I’m in a position where I have to ask other people for help.

My car is not just a vehicle to me.

It represents independence.

It represents my ability to work.

It represents being able to get where I need to go.

It represents the goals I’ve been trying to reach for years.

I already know what it feels like to have transportation problems interfere with my education and opportunities.

I don’t want to go through that again.

I want to keep working.

I want to continue pursuing my goals.

I want to keep building the future I started working toward after high school.

That is why I’m asking for help.

I’m not asking anyone to feel sorry for me.

I’m not asking anyone to believe that my life has been perfect.

I’m simply asking for a chance to get back on my feet.

If you are able to donate $5, $10, $20, or any amount you can comfortably afford, I would be incredibly grateful.

Every contribution would help me get closer to my $3,000 goal and closer to getting my car back on the road.

And if you cannot donate, please share my story.

A share may seem small, but it could put my story in front of someone who is able to help.

I know I’m not famous.

I don’t have a huge following.

I’m just Evelyn.

I’m someone who has worked multiple jobs.

Someone who has sacrificed sleep.

Someone who has struggled.

Someone who has been disappointed.

Someone who has had to start over.

But I’m also someone who has kept going.

And that is what I’m trying to do now.

Keep going.

I’ve worked too hard to give up on myself.

I’ve sacrificed too much to stop believing in my future.

I’ve already overcome difficult moments before, and I believe I can get through this one too.

I just need some help getting there.

To everyone who has ever supported me, checked on me, encouraged me, helped me, prayed for me, shared my story, or simply taken the time to listen—thank you.

I don’t take any kindness for granted.

I’m sharing my story because I want people to understand that sometimes the person you see smiling and going to work is carrying things you know nothing about.

I may not have everything figured out.

I may not have everything I need right now.

But I still have goals.

I still have dreams.

And I still believe that my story can have better chapters ahead.

So I’m putting my pride aside and asking for help.

Not because I’ve stopped fighting.

But because I’m still fighting.

I’m still standing.

I’m still working.

I’m still trying.

And I’m still believing that this difficult moment does not have to be the end of my story.

Thank you for hearing me. Thank you for believing in me. And thank you for any kindness you can show me during this chapter of my life. ❤️