At just five years old, she wore a blue costume and a plastic badge, declaring to her family she would one day become a police officer. Though few took her seriously, her childhood determination never wavered. She worked tirelessly through high school, even while facing teasing and doubt. Eventually, she put herself through the police academy, all while juggling overnight shifts at a local diner to pay for tuition. Through every challenge, she kept that old Halloween badge taped to her mirror as a symbol of her dream.

Her first solo traffic stop left her heart racing, but she pushed through. More difficult calls followed—cases involving domestic incidents and emergencies that tested her resolve. One particularly tense hostage situation left lasting emotional effects, but she never gave up. Her resilience paid off when she was promoted to sergeant. On her first day in her new office, she found a small box on her desk—inside was that same plastic badge from her childhood, lovingly preserved by her father.

The road had not been easy. The night before her final academy exam, she nearly quit from exhaustion after a grueling shift at the diner. With no one to turn to, a friend’s simple message—“You didn’t come this far to give up”—pushed her forward. Despite the fatigue, she passed. But the struggles didn’t end there. Two years into her service, a missing child case shook her confidence. Though she was the one who found the boy, the department gave credit elsewhere. It was a moment that made her question everything.

Despite the setbacks, she stayed true to her purpose. Today, she wears her real badge with pride, inspiring young girls in her community who now look up to her. She keeps her story close, not for praise, but because it reminds her that the strength to continue often comes from within—and sometimes, from a piece of plastic taped to a mirror.