Sisters triumph over tragedy - Brooks girls earn nursing degrees

When Taveika and Tavian Brooks got dolled up for their graduation photo shoot last week, it was a poignant reminder of the hardships they have endured en route to earning their university degrees.

Their journey to becoming the first in the family to earn degrees is punctuated by the loss of both parents, first the father, Courtney Brooks, who was murdered in 2009, and then their mother, Dorrett Wilson, who died when the siblings were doing their final exams.

"Our father was a very hard worker and our mother sacrificed a lot for us. I know they are proud of what we have achieved. It's like I can hear them and imagine them being elated for us. We have two older siblings and they are happy for us as well," 22-year-old Taveika told THE WEEKEND STAR.

The Brooks girls are set to walk across the stage at The University of the West Indies, Mona, next Saturday to collect their Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing. Tavian, the elder of the sisters, said it would have been great if their mother were alive to witness the feat. The 26-year-old said that after their father died, their mother pulled out all the stops to ensure the family was kept afloat.

"It breaks my heart that she didn't get to see us complete university because whenever we accomplished something, such as passing our exams, she would be the first person we would call, and to know that we can't call her just makes us sad," Tavian said.

She added: "To know that she will not be present at our graduation really hurts, but regardless, we are proud of ourselves and are still celebrating."

The Brooks sisters grew up in the tough inner-city community of Greenwich Town, St Andrew, with their parents and two older siblings. Taveika was eight and Tavian was 11 when their father was killed.

LOSING MAIN BREADWINNER

"Our heart was broken because we loved our father and it was rough on our mother as well. He was the main breadwinner, although our mother was working. Her pay was not sufficient, and when he died it really impacted our family," Tavian said.

Their mother hardly had enough money to send them to school, but the girls were determined to use education as their way out of hardship. Taveika stated that she and Tavian shared a tight bond because of the closeness of their ages.

"Our elder siblings are more than 10 years older than us, so they were more independent and could go out on their own. My sister and I were smaller so we would stay inside and as of such we developed a tight bond. We share the same passion for medicine, so it came naturally when we both wanted to go into nursing," Taveika said.

Tavian said throughout their years in university, their mother was one of their main supporters. They dreamt of the day that she would be in the audience cheering them on as they walk to the podium to collect their degrees. However, cancer and death robbed them of the moment.

"Our mother got sick during our third year at school and you can imagine how rough that was on us. She lost her battle to cancer in our final year, during the time when we had our final exam. My little sister asked me if we were going to still do the final exams and I told her that we just have to do it. We had to just toughen up although we were mourning and do it. And we did. We cried on the ward and we cried during the exams, but we knew we had to pull through," Taveika said.

Their achievements are a testament to their strength, their bond as sisters, and their unwavering commitment to their dreams. The sisters' story bears testament to the fact that success is possible with determination and support from loved ones.

"We want to use this moment to let others know that no matter how hard life gets, just press on. Do not let your address or life define you, or determine what you can achieve," Tavian said.