Nancy Kwan

Nancy Kwan is not known throughout the world. She may have the same name as an old-time actress, but in reality, she is mainly known to all her friends and family as a woman of loyalty and kindness, and as one who has the will to move forward towards the future. My mother's name was not always Nancy Kwan; her maiden name was Nancy Suet Lok. She was born on December 23, 1957 in Honk Kong, China. Her family was not rich, by any means. She worked many jobs to hep make ends meet for her two working parents and four siblings. Even as a young child, she was kind and unselfish.

When my mom was in high school, she did not get the best grades because she was always busy at her job as a waitress. She never had the regular life of a teenager, hardly having any fun. Yet it was because of those years that she morphed into a young successful woman. She had learned about life early on.

She made the decision later on in life to go to the U.S. to make something of her life. She earned her citizenship and made her journey to the U.S. without the money her parents offered her. She carried little cash because she had left all her money for her family. They had thought ahead and arranged room and board from an old family friend. She settled into her new home easily, made a living, and sent money home monthly. Fortunately, all those years on her own had taught her many valuable lessons, and instilled in her many valuable qualities, including the ability to find true love.

She met my father, John Kwan, through that old family friend, and it was love at first sight. Her life got easier from then on. By that time, my mother had learned the value of a penny and did not want my father to waste money on their date. My father brought her to the laundromat as their first date! They got married soon after and had three children. Even though she never went to college and took the daring journey of coming to a foreign land, she did what she ventured out to do, which was to make something out of her life. Today, she never stops at anything she is trying to accomplish, and that is why she in my hero.

From birth until the present day, my hero has learned many lessons in her life. Lessons that many, myself included, admire. She was taught that loyalty and kindness are important qualities in life, but that in addition, a person would never make it in this world unless they have the ability to look towards the future, like she did. I admire all of those qualities, but most of all, I admire her inexorable will to always move forward. Her loyalty and kindness play a key role in why I admire her, as well. She has taught me to always be loyal to my friends, but more importantly, to my family. I will morph into a young woman who knows the most important lessons of life because of her, and that is why she is my hero.