Leslie Jones

Leslie Jones is a mother who has accomplished so much. She is very hardworking and has become a real, strong woman because of everything she has been through. When she was only six years old her mother left her and her family. My mother has only heard from her three times since then and has only seen her once. My mother had to fend for herself after she left because my grandpa was always working. Her stepmother was no angel either, she was always bringing other men home and only cared about her own children (she has two daughters and one son). My mom and uncle were not used to discipline because my grandfather basically let them run wild because he did not know much about raising kids, he even had the joke that "her first steps were to a beer can." So when her stepmother took over my mom got punished a lot even though she did not understand why. She did as she got older of course, but when she was younger she struggled to be a good kid.

She worked a lot on the tobacco farm and got 50 dollars every year for Christmas and her birthday. She became a Christian at the age of 18. She met my brother Coy's dad and married him when she was 25. She was physically and verbally abused by him for two years until she was able to run away with my brother. She lived in her car for couple months and then was able to move in with a friend after a few months. She was able to get back on her feet by working at a hair salon in Newport News, Virginia. She met my dad a few years later. They dated for two years and married him at age 35. For the past twenty years she has been a mother, wife, and soon to be grandmother. She is an inspiration to me because of how strong she is. The fact that she can still share so much love and kindness after everything she has been through has blown my mind. I hope I can be just as strong and loving as her.