Morgan grew up in Phoenix and was raised by her mother. Her dad lived in Mexico and was unable to support the family financially. Morgan was a very gifted student with a bright future ahead of her. When she was a teenager, she was in the car with her mom and sister on the freeway when their car collided with a semi-truck. Morgan was thrown from the car, suffering a severe head injury and many broken bones. When she awaked from a coma that lasted several weeks she learned that her mom and sister had both been killed in the car crash. She was devastated to have lost the only family that she had ever known.
She came to Tucson to live with her grandfather and his wife. After recovering from her 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 regular attendance, areas that had never been a concern in the past.
With the motivation that the YOTO stipend provided, Morgan began to bring her grades up and attend school regularly and will be graduating with the rest of her senior class! She has a variety of interests, including dance, cooking, music, and art, and she has dreams of eventually attending USC.
