The Caregiver I Never Expected to Be

The smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven still reminds me of home. It takes me back to college football Saturdays, family dinners around the table, afternoons spent laughing with my siblings, and weekends learning how to make my Mimi's famous pecan pie.

Like many grandchildren, some of my favorite childhood memories center around time spent with my grandparents. My Mimi was loving, creative, funny, and always willing to teach me something new. She had a way of making every person feel special. Whether we were baking in the kitchen, shopping together, or simply talking, she made me feel like I mattered.

As a child, I never imagined those happy memories would eventually become the foundation of my advocacy journey.

When my Mimi was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, our family's world began to change. At first, the changes were subtle. She would occasionally repeat herself or misplace items. Sometimes she would forget details from conversations we had just shared. Like many families experiencing dementia for the first time, we tried to explain away these moments as normal signs of aging.

Over time, however, it became clear that something more significant was happening.

I remember watching someone I loved slowly struggle with tasks that had once come naturally. The woman who had taught me how to bake and memorize recipes now found herself unable to remember ingredients she had used for decades. The grandmother who never missed a birthday occasionally struggled to recognize familiar faces.

One afternoon changed everything for me.

My Mimi stood at the front door with a packed suitcase. She was determined to leave because she believed she needed to return home to her parents.

The problem was that her parents had passed away many years earlier.

I remember standing there, unsure what to say or do. I wanted to correct her, but I also didn't want to upset her. In that moment, I realized that logic and facts weren't enough. Alzheimer's disease had created a reality that felt very real to her.

As a young person, that experience was both confusing and heartbreaking.

Without realizing it, I had already started becoming one of her caregivers.

I helped redirect conversations when she became confused. I learned how to remain calm when situations felt unpredictable. I offered reassurance when she felt frightened or uncertain. I began paying attention to her safety, her emotions, and her daily needs.

At the time, I didn't think of myself as a caregiver.

I thought I was simply being a granddaughter.

Years later, I learned there was actually a term for young people who help care for family members. They are called Caregiving Youth.

Caregiving Youth are children and teenagers who provide care, assistance, or support to a family member who is elderly, chronically ill, disabled, or living with a condition such as Alzheimer's disease. Some help with household responsibilities. Others assist with medications, transportation, personal care, communication, or emotional support.

Today, there are more than 5.4 million Caregiving Youth across the United States.

That number surprised me.

What surprised me even more was realizing how invisible many of these young people remain.

Most people don't think about children when they think about caregivers. They imagine adults caring for aging parents or spouses caring for one another. They rarely picture a middle school student helping a grandparent with dementia or a high school student balancing homework with caregiving responsibilities.

Yet that reality exists in communities across the country.

As I learned more about Caregiving Youth, I began recognizing pieces of my own experience. I understood the worry. I understood the responsibility. I understood the feeling of trying to balance being a kid while also carrying concerns that many of my peers couldn't relate to.

I also realized that many young caregivers feel completely alone.

That realization stayed with me.

In 2023, I launched Giving Grace: Advocating for Caregiving Youth.

The mission was inspired by my journey with Mimi and my desire to ensure other young caregivers felt seen, supported, and understood. I wanted to create conversations around an issue that rarely receives attention. I wanted schools, healthcare organizations, policymakers, and communities to recognize that millions of children are providing care every day.

Since launching Giving Grace, I have had the opportunity to speak to more than 5,000 students, families, nurses, social workers, care managers, educators, and healthcare professionals.

Every presentation reminds me why this work matters.

I meet students who quietly share their own caregiving stories after events. I meet parents who tell me they finally understand what their child has been carrying. I meet professionals who admit they had never considered how many young people are involved in caregiving.

Each conversation reinforces an important truth: awareness creates change.

My advocacy journey has taken me to places I never expected. I have spoken before the Austin City Council, partnered with organizations across the country, collaborated with researchers and educators, and worked alongside incredible leaders who are committed to supporting caregiving youth.

Yet no matter where this journey leads, it always comes back to one person.

My Mimi.

She may never fully understand the impact she had on my life, but her influence is woven into every presentation I give, every conversation I have, and every effort I make to support other young caregivers.

Her story became my story.

And my story became a mission.

Today, as Miss Metroplex's Teen 2026, I am honored to use my platform to continue advocating for Caregiving Youth. My goal is to ensure that every young caregiver knows they are not alone.

Because behind every caregiving journey is a child, a family, and a story that deserves to be heard.

And behind every act of care is a young person whose compassion has the power to change the world.