First of all, I want to say that I am overwhelmed by the response that my TikTok has gotten. Thank you all so much for your likes and comments. I have had a lot of people reach out to me asking how they can help and saying that if I need anything to reach out. All I want for the next four years of my life is to get through college and graduate. I am graduating from Sobrato High school this June and have chosen San Jose State as my college.  My eventual goal is to be able to start a non-profit organization to help kids like me. 

A little history about me:  I did not grow up in a normal household with loving parents and a stable home. First, I never met my dad. The only knowledge I have of him is his name and that he sexually assaulted my mother, which resulted in my birth. Growing up, I lived with my Mom, bouncing from boyfriend’s/friend’s houses, trying to find a place to stay. Some nights we would have to stay in a car. I even remember some cold nights riding in a shopping cart feeling each crack in the sidewalk as my mom pushed me around. She tried her hardest to take care of both of us. In 5th grade, however, I witnessed her snorting drugs and this caused her to be taken away from me.

My aunt took me in and I finishing elementary school. Spending a lot of time with her brought me closer to her and she became my second mom. In seventh grade, however, she got breast cancer and moved to Georgia for her treatment. I moved away from Morgan Hill to Las Vegas with my aunt's daughter to live with my second cousins who I did not really know well. Moving was hard due to adapting to new people and leaving all my friends. During my freshman year, I dealt with depression and felt alone. I realized I needed to take my future into my own hands if I was going to make it better. 

I decided to ask a friend back in Morgan Hill, CA if I could move in with him and his family and they said yes.  They had a separate room with its own entrance. I had to grown-up quickly and be independent at age 16. They had me pay a little bit of rent to help out. I get a car and a job so that I can pay for my bills. I learned quickly how many bills there could be. From rent and car insurance to food and any fun I wanted to have. With the shelter in place, everything has changed. I no longer get to go to school or work at all. I can't walk for my graduation in June and I feel that there is no real closure to this high school experience that I have gone through basically alone, without the support of a real family.

Although moving around has affected my grades, I have managed a 3.0 GPA, am taking AP classes, and only striving forward. I have even managed to fit in and pay for sports such as football during the Fall and Boxing offseason which has helped me to learn discipline and determination. The challenges have definitely been worthwhile and have shaped me into the driven, positive, and open-minded High School Senior I am today. I've taken all this knowledge and wisdom and I plan on making an impact on the world. I just got accepted into San Jose State and I plan on majoring in sociology. I would like to get a job in social work and help others who have grown up similar to my situation. After, I plan on making a non-profit organization to help kids in tough situations and help guide them to success, while implementing the sport of boxing for mental and physical health. If you donate to this GoFundMe, please know that your donation will go toward my college expenses that aren't covered with my scholarship and toward my future non-profit organization.

Thank you,
Josh Nickerson