I was born in Pasadena, Texas and I've lived there my entire life. I graduated from the DeBakey High School for Health Professions in Houston, and now I'm in my third year majoring in Economics at UT.

My interests are varied, and include basketball, running, listening to music, and spending time with my close friends. I love meeting and helping people and I look forward to the Texas 4000 as an opportunity for me to make new friends across the continent and become involved in alleviating one of the most devastating problems affecting our society.

Over 1.2 million people each year in the United States are diagnosed with cancer. Although so far I've been fortunate enough to not have anyone close to me suffer from the disease, over the years I've come in contact with many people who fight each day to win their lives back. Watching their attempts to hide their pain and persist through countless hours of arduous treatment, I get the sense as if the commitment required to ride a bicycle from Texas to Alaska is but a minute glimpse of the strength and willpower that is asked of from cancer patients. I can only hope that my own struggle through 4000 miles of roads, fighting my own body's urge to give up, pushing through pain and testing my own endurance will allow me to better understand the hardships that cancer patients are subject to.