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A woman shared how she was able to defy the odds that were stacked against her in childhood and secure a good future for herself. A young woman named Courtney took to TikTok to share the inspiring story of how she was raised in a toxic and tumultuous household, surrounded by family members who were struggling with addiction and unfit to care for her or her brother.

Instead of falling into the same pitfalls of addiction as her family did, Courtney graduated from an Ivy League school.

Courtney began her video by explaining that she had been raised in a part of rural Ohio that was and continues to be affected by the opioid epidemic. “Like many other people in my community, a lot of my family developed substance use disorders, including both my parents.”

She explained that she and her older brother had lived with their parents when she was a baby, but eventually, her parents got divorced. Following the divorce, both she and her brother were put under the care of their father, although he wasn’t fit to care for them or himself.

Eventually, her grandparents took them in and raised them as their primary guardians. “Growing up, I had to witness and deal with the aftermath of addiction from my parents, my aunts, my uncles, and my community.” Even though her grandparents were stable and the best option for Courtney, she was still exposed to substance abuse because of her grandparents’ children, who would come around.

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Despite her rocky home life, the woman expressed a deep love of school and learning.

“I didn’t want to fall into the same cycle of addiction and poverty as my parents, so I took advantage of everything I could and was determined to succeed,” Courtney said, adding that it was hard due to the lack of funding in schools in her area.

Determined to succeed, during her freshman year of high school, Courtney applied for a federally funded program that primarily served first-generation low-income students to help them attend colleges and universities.

“Each summer I spent six weeks living at a local college (and) learning about what I needed to do to apply for college, visiting colleges, and attending classes,” she continued.

It was during that time that Courtney learned that most schools will give out merit-based scholarships to high school applicants, which solidified that Courtney wanted to attend school for free. “I put a lot of effort into studying for the ACT, keeping my grades high, and taking classes at the local college to be competitive for scholarships,” Courtney recalled.

She eventually received a letter in the mail from Yale encouraging her to apply.

During her senior year, Courtney shared that she had gotten a letter from the admissions office at Yale, which informed her that it was free to attend their school if her family wasn’t making enough money to qualify for the tuition. “I decided it was worth a shot, so I applied,” she said, adding that in her town, it was highly abnormal for high school students to apply to both Ivy Leagues and other 4-year universities because of their financial circumstances.

After getting her acceptance letter from Yale, Courtney made up her mind that she would be attending the prestigious school. Four years later, Courtney graduated and obtained her degree. “I feel incredibly lucky to have had all the opportunities I had at Yale, and to graduate debt-free,” she insisted. Courtney explained that she graduated a little over two years ago and now works in Washington, D.C.

Patty Brito | Unsplash

Despite how drastically her life has turned out compared to her parents and the other people in her community, she acknowledged still feeling impacted by her rough childhood. However, she praised herself for having the resilience and strength to make something of herself.

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Sharing her story on social media has likely helped this woman heal her childhood trauma.

Some might find it strange that a person would turn to social media to share something as traumatic as Courtney experienced, but her inspirational tale is much more than clicks and views. It’s likely helping her heal, even years later.

Writing for Psychology Todayclinical psychologist Lisa Firestone, Ph.D., explained, “Childhood trauma of any kind can affect our relationships and our mental and physical health. No matter when the trauma occurred or what shape it took, the importance of making sense of the experience cannot be overstated.”

She went on to say, “This is because unresolved trauma can haunt us in ways resolved trauma does not.” Adding, “Trauma is unresolved when we do not process it either when it occurred or shortly after. Thus, a great deal of good can come from taking a deep dive into our own story.”

Yes, Courtney’s story is inspiring for anyone going through a similar experience, but it is also healing for her, whether she realizes it or not.

The woman’s story proves that we are more than the cards we have been given in life.

By refusing to succumb to circumstances beyond her control, she took control of her own narrative. Courtney’s determination to rise above the struggles of her family and secure a brighter future demonstrates the transformative power of perseverance and the ability to shape one’s destiny.

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Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.