At the time of her parents’ deaths, Samantha Rodriguez was just 17 years old.
In many ways, members of the Millennial generation are unfairly judged by their elders. However, when you hear stories about young people like Samantha Rodriguez, who was only 17 years old when she was faced with the prospect of raising her younger brother and four younger sisters on her own, you realize that much of this criticism is unjustified and unfounded.
At a time when most teenage girls are preoccupied with learning to drive, graduating from high school, experimenting with makeup, and juggling multiple romantic partners, Samantha’s parents died as a result of cancer. Samantha’s mother was the first to fall victim to cervical cancer; her father’s death came three years later after he was diagnosed with an aggressive case of lymphoma, a blood cancer that can manifest itself in a variety of ways, according to the news source ABC.
Samantha was expected to have a magical time during her teenage years because she lived in Orlando, a sunny Florida city known for Disney World and numerous other amusement parks. However, the death of her parents threw her into adulthood all at once. She and her siblings appeared on “The View,” a morning news and entertainment program on the ABC television network, to share their family’s story. Samantha Rodriguez, 21, Milagros Rodriguez, 16, Brenda Rodriguez, 15, Michael Rodriguez, 12, Bella Rodriguez, 9, and Destiny Rodriguez, 7, are members of the Rodriguez family.
Samantha works as a waitress and attends college at the same time. She also prepares meals, ensures that everyone attends school, takes her siblings to the doctor, and essentially takes on all of the parental responsibilities. During her interview, she acknowledges that her life is challenging, but she also expresses gratitude for the time she was able to spend with her mother, who she credits with teaching her what it means to be a strong person.
In addition to evoking many emotions of sadness, joy, and optimism from those who saw the ABC interview with the Rodriguez family, the program has been viewed thousands of times on social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and the ABC News website. Samantha has been hailed as an inspiration for her ability to maintain her composure under difficult circumstances.
The next time someone tells you that the Millennial generation does not have what it takes to deal with the difficulties of modern day life, lead them by recommending to watch the Rodriguez section of ABC’s ‘The View.’
Generation gaps will never disappear; they are a part of life and we need them to some extent, but it is critical that we learn from people of all generations. Make sure to share this with your friends and family so they can learn about Samantha and all the amazing things that young people can do even in the face of adversity.
Watch the video below: