Most people dislike change. Humans are creatures of habit, and when life threatens to change our routines, we tend to panic. Fifteen different homes, 6 different families and jumps from hardship to hardship, Courtney Craddock is no stranger to change. Nor is she to stress, pressure and loss. 

At 2 years old, Courtney’s parent’s divorce. Since then she grows in two homes, lives two lifestyles, and has two families. Like a light switch, she constantly has to flip on and off between rules depending on whose house she resides. Courtney jumps from family to family, standing idly by as her mom re-married four times. Attending therapy, Courtney’s doctor diagnoses her with PTSD; the constant fear of change being just around the corner or having to leave at any instant traumatized her. As if it isn’t all enough, her mom began to get sick. Heaving more onto her plate, Courtney takes on the responsibility of caring for her mother.

“She was always really sick.”

Courtney helps with shots, cleans wounds, and after a crucial leg amputation, helps her mom take on and off a prosthetic. Then during freshman year, her mother passes away.

One may assume with this much strain on a person they might feel as if the world hates them, or even like they must have done something to deserve all of these adversities. But Courtney believes otherwise. 

When reflecting on the biggest takeaway from her childhood, Courtney said:  “I think I learned a lot about mortality. Everybody is human and nobody is above life. Bad things happen and it’s not because you deserve them or because you did anything wrong.”

Life is like choosing three cards from a deck; it all boils down to luck of the draw.