Children lose both their parents: the 17-year-old takes care of her 5 siblings and raises them
There are some family stories that attract a lot of attention, but, unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons. There are some families, for example, which are put under a lot of strain due to the passing of both parents.
The 6 siblings at the center of this story know something about this state of affairs. However, thanks to the eldest of the six, their story had a happy ending. Read on to find out more:
via ABC News
Orange County Sheriff's Office/Twitter
It was 2013 when disaster hit the Rodriguez family: the mother, Lisa Smith, 35, passed away, leaving a huge void in the lives of her husband and children. At this point, father Alexander could do nothing but continue on with his 6 children. But sometimes, fate can be very cruel.
Only three years later, Alexander died at the age of 44, leaving his children at the mercy of an uncertain fate. And this is where young Samantha took over the reins. Samantha, then 17, followed in her father's footsteps and took matters into her own hands. Despite her young age, she understood perfectly what her fate and that of her siblings would be: no relatives could take them in all together and foster institutions would become their home. So, what could be done?
Samantha decided to put aside her life as a teenager: "They needed an adult and I became one," she said. Samantha didn't waste any time and went to work to support her siblings. Later, all six of them moved to Orange County in Florida to be with their grandmother, Lourdes.
Orange County Sheriff's Office/Twitter
Samantha recounted: "I learned a lot from my mother. I'd always seen her do a lot for us and I just had to put her teachings into practice. I'm happy to be my siblings point of reference and I want to teach them a lot. For me, it's fun to help them grow up". Of course, Samantha gave up a lot, but she has never regretted it and she eventually went back to school. Juggling as best she could between studies and part-time work as a waitress, Samantha eventually managed to graduate.
The story of the Rodriguez children moved many people and many mobilized to lend them a hand. People have given them gifts, daily aid and other forms of support. Fundraisers have also been launched to provide for the children's needs.
It's in times like these that the best in people comes out. Solidarity, altruism and love helped Samantha keep her family together. We can only congratulate this young woman for the example she has set and hope that this family will thrive in the future!
