May 11--KINGS MOUNTAIN -- When her mother needed her, Dandria Young dropped everything. The day she turned 18, Dandria left UNC-Greensboro and her scholarships behind. She came back home to help her mother Denise Young through a tough time.
"During my first semester at UNCG I got a call from my mom telling me she had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia," Dandria said. Fibromyalgia was quite a blow for Denise, a cancer and heart attack survivor, "There were days my dad and I had to literally carry her into the house," Dandria said.
As her mother's illness continued Dandria worked.
"I didn't want to lose what we had," she said.
She worked for years and when she lost her job, her mother and family encouraged Dandria to go back to school.
"My mother taught me that knowledge was power," Denise said. "And when Dandria wanted to go back to school at Cleveland (Community College), we we're very supportive."
Dandria will be graduating from CCC Tuesday -- finishing what she started so many years ago. Well, almost finishing. After graduation, Dandria plans to go to UNC-Chapel Hill and major in journalism and Spanish. For Denise, Dandria's graduation is great Mothers Day gift. For Dandria, graduation will be bittersweet, she said.
"I've gotten to know so many people, I just love it there. It's been a wonderful experience," Dandria said.
Her sacrifice has meant the world to her mother.
"I always stressed education and for her to have to drop out of school and lose all her scholarship money...it was really hard for me," Denise said. "That's why when she decided to go back to Cleveland (Community College) I supported her 100 percent."
Her support, along with Dandria's father, Charlie, and brother Darius, was unwavering.
"Whatever it would take for her to get her degree I was willing to do that...we're working it out together," Denise said." We work as a team to make sure she accomplishes the goals that she wants to because she sacrificed so much for her mommy."
"Any good daughter would do it," Dandria quickly chimed in.
Denise and Dandria's daughter, Michela, along with Dandria's family will be there to watch her walk across the stage and receive her degree. It will be emotional for everyone, especially Denise.
"I'm going to try not to cry. It's been a long time coming. I'm so thankful that she made it," Denise said smiling brightly at her daughter.
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