LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Rose Torres and her youngest son, Sunny, will graduate from Texas Tech University this weekend after years of hard work.<\/p>\n
The journey began when Rose\u2019s two oldest children, Alexsis and Michael, were doing homework at the kitchen table. Rose made a comment about how hard it could be.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy oldest two were doing their homework and they were at the kitchen table and I could hear them, they were talking about how hard it was and stuff. I made the comment of \u2018it can\u2019t be that hard\u2019, and they were like \u2018if you think it\u2019s so easy, why don\u2019t you try it and get your own degree,\u2019\u201d Rose said.<\/p>\n
Alexsis and Michael later earned their master\u2019s degrees at Texas Tech in healthcare admission and finance. Rose took them up on the challenge and earned her associate\u2019s degree at South Plains College.<\/p>\n
Rose committed to Texas Tech but was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was hard. There were a lot of days where I was in pain from the surgery and stuff. I never really said it, there was a lot of times I felt like okay this is just too much, I don\u2019t really know if I should continue,\u201d Rose said.<\/p>\n
One of her biggest supporters was Sunny, who was later convinced by his family to enroll at Texas Tech. After a few semesters, Sunny chose criminology as his degree.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really wanted to do it because I love the insightfulness of seeing the way people think, seeing the way the world views different types of minds, the way the mind views the world,\u201d Sunny said.<\/p>\n
After years of hard work, Rose will earn her master\u2019s degree in personal financial planning and Sunny will earn his bachelor\u2019s degree in criminology the same week. All five members of the family, including father Jose, will have received degrees from Texas Tech.<\/p>\n
Sunny will attend state trooper academy in Austin in September to further his law enforcement career.<\/p>\n
\u201cStrive for excellence. You think about it, you see it everywhere, I\u2019m like it really is. They help you, they\u2019re gonna help you get there,\u201d Rose said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing able to experience this weekend together, to see the celebrations and stuff that we get to experience together, I feel like it\u2019s really special to me because it\u2019s seeing someone that is your mentor, that is your role model and also your mom. Seeing them complete something that means so much to them, it fills your heart with a lot of joy,\u201d Sunny said.<\/p>\n
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