JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 A Jacksonville mother who survived domestic violence is now advancing to the semifinals of a national competition recognizing extraordinary moms \u2014 and she says it\u2019s about more than just winning.<\/p>\n
Gloria Branda, a single mother of two, has spent the past eight years rebuilding her life after escaping an abusive marriage. Her story caught the attention of the \u201cSuper Mom\u201d competition, a national contest that supports Children\u2019s Miracle Network Hospitals and uses public voting to determine finalists.<\/p>\n
For Branda, the recognition is secondary to the message she hopes to send.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never planned on being a single mom. I just planned on being married,\u201d Branda said.<\/p>\n
Leaving wasn\u2019t easy<\/p>\n
Branda\u2019s path to freedom was not a straight line. Like many survivors, she faced the painful cycle of leaving and returning before she was finally able to walk away for good.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey say it takes seven times to leave an abusive partner, and that\u2019s what happened. It\u2019s not anything that I thought I could do,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Branda\u2019s ex-husband left her and her two children in 2018, marking a turning point that set her on a new path \u2014 one focused on healing and helping others.<\/p>\n
Turning pain into purpose<\/p>\n
Domestic violence continues to devastate families across Jacksonville. Duval County recorded 14 domestic violence homicides in 2025, according to JSO. <\/p>\n
Rather than turning inward, Branda channeled her experience into action. While raising her own children as a single mother, she opened her home to others in need.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey had some friends that we realized were homeless, and when we realized that, they were minors and they were friends of theirs, so I just, I had two extra kids for about a year, about three or four days a week, so that they wouldn\u2019t be sleeping in a car,\u201d Branda said.<\/p>\n
Her message to anyone facing difficult circumstances is simple but powerful.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to ask for help. We\u2019re all human. We all need people to help us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
To vote for Gloria, click here. <\/a><\/p>\n