Senior Brandi Morris refuses to let a difficult upbringing stop her from living her dreams of becoming a marine biologist.

At the young age of 11, Morris’s mother died. Forced to live with her father, Morris struggled to cope with the loss of her mother.

“I miss my mom. I don’t miss my dad,” Morris said. “My dad left when I was younger.”

Four years later, Morris’s father died of a heart attack, leaving Morris living with her stepmother.

“My brother lives with his best friends’ parents and my sister got adopted by them,” Morris said. “They didn’t have enough room for me, so basically process of elimination, they decided that whoever was left in the foster home, they would take them. They couldn’t pick between us.”

Morris has three siblings, two older brothers and one younger sister. One of her brothers is in the Marine Corps, while her other two siblings live in New Jersey.

“I basically raised my sister until I left here and then my brother was basically all I had. They are like my best friends,” Morris said. “My sister was only 3, so she really didn’t understand, but my brother was just really angry about it because she killed herself. I mean, we all felt like she was selfish.”

Even though there was anger felt at the beginning, Morris said she truly misses her mother.

Morris plans on attending University of Florida to study to become a marine biologist through financial aid and scholarships.

“When I was younger, I think Steve Irwin kind of inspired me to be one,” Morris said.

Morris keeps in touch with her family and visits her brother and sister in New Jersey every Christmas and summer. Her brother is stationed in Hawaii.

“I haven’t seen him since September of last year,” Morris said.

Morris has worked hard through high school and hopes to live her dreams, not letting her past stop her.