Jennifer Suarez was determined to come out strong and not let anything stand in her way. Despite her battle with cancer, she continued on with her dream of being a part of the United States Marine Corps.
Curveball thrown her way
Everything seemed to be going well in Jennifer Suarez's life. She was recently married and was expecting her first baby in only four months, according to Stars and Stripes. Suarez had also accomplished her goal of becoming a Marine in the U.S. Armed Forces. Then out of nowhere a major curveball was thrown her way – she was tragically diagnosed with brain cancer.
Though hearing this news was a tough pill to swallow, through perseverance and strength, Suarez decided to fight hard and get her life back on track.
Inspiration to join the Marine Corps
Suarez decided she wanted to be a Marine in the fourth grade when her friend's dad spoke about his role as a Marine one day in class on Career Day, Stars and Stripes stated. Ever since then she had always had a passion for the military and ended up enlisting as soon as she could after high school.
At 17 she completed boot camp and then continued her education until she became a field wireman. Suarez was stationed in Okinawa, Japan for a couple of years before she got married and then settled down in Pendleton, California after becoming pregnant, according to Stars and Stripes.
Motivation to keep going
During the time of her first pregnancy, her health took a turn for the worse. One morning while enjoying breakfast with her husband, she suffered a seizure due to muscle spasms on the left side of her body. After immediately being escorted to the hospital, her brain was scanned, revealing an astrocytoma, a tumor in the brain tissues, the U.S. Department of State said. This news was devastating for not only her own life, but for her unborn baby's as well.
Her son Anthony was born prematurely with an emergency C-section, according to Stars and Stripes. Though Anthony was on the brink of death, he miraculously survived. With the motivation of her strong newborn son's survival, Suarez pushed through many challenging obstacles. Not only did she have to retire from the Corps because of her poor health, but she also experienced a divorce and had to face rehab and chemotherapy.
Back on top
Through it all, Suarez managed to come out strong and found herself right back where she wanted to be. After giving birth to her second child, the tumor shrunk, and her cancer was in remission. Five years later, Suarez re-enlisted in the military and was accepted, according to the U.S. Department of State. Because she worked hard to return to active duty, she was appointed as the commanding officer's driver and then promoted to sergeant shortly after.
In an article from Stars and Stripes, Col. Christian Wortman, commanding officer of The Basic School, said, "Sgt. Suarez has faced decisions and obstacles that many hope to never encounter yet she still rises above her challenges and continues to serve her family and the Corps to the best of her ability. Sgt. Suarez exemplifies the type of Marine all should strive to emulate with her attitude and determination. She truly lives our motto 'Semper Fidelis.'"
Suarez fought hard and came out on top and stronger than ever, despite the bumpy road along the way.