Morgan grew up in Phoenix and was raised by a loving and supportive mother. She was a gifted student with a bright future ahead of her. Howver, the family struggled to make ends meet, with Morgan’s dad living in Mexico, unable to support the family.
When she was a teenager, Morgan was in the car with her mother and sister when a speeding semi-truck slammed into them. Morgan was thrown from the car, suffering a severe head injury and numerous broken bones. When she awakened from a lengthy coma, she learned that her mother and sister had both died in the accident. She was devastated to have lost the only family that she had ever known.
Morgan relocated to Tucson to live with her grandfather and his wife. After recovering from her life-threatening injuries, Morgan returned to school but had suffered extensive brain damage and was diagnosed with a learning disability. Morgan struggled with maintaining passing grades and steady attendance. With the motivation that the YOTO stipend provided her, Morgan has improved her grades and attends school regularly. She will be graduating with the rest of her senior class and is on track to pursue her goal of attending the University of Southern California.
