When her aunt urgently called for them to come over, sophomore Janely Zuniga and her mom didn’t hesitate. The night that followed was grim. With teary eyes, her family broke the news that her uncle died.
“I just remember bawling my eyes out,” Zuniga said. “I was really close to him, so I lost a part of myself as well.”
Zuniga deeply cares for all her uncles, most her dad’s cousins but she called them uncle. Family means everything to Zuniga anyway.
“My family doesn’t even live here, but they’re always supporting me,” Zuniga said. They’re always posting about me and my business.”
That tight bond meant her uncle’s death hit hard. They had a father-daughter relationship, so when she heard about the car accident, it felt like she lost a father figure.
“He was a second dad to me,” Zuniga said. “If my dad couldn’t be there for me, he was.”
After that, her relationship with her parents frayed. She was constantly in trouble, always fighting with them.
“They were like, ‘We do everything for you, why are you doing this?’” Zuniga said. “And I was like, ‘Because I miss him so much.’”
The pain was unbearable. She was angry and grieving, lashing out at the family she always cared about, and getting into trouble.
“It was stupid,” Zuniga said. “I would ask myself, why are you trying to be cool?”
Zuniga’s regrets meant something and translated into positive change. In July, she decided to start her own nail business. According to Zuniga, she would have failed without the unwavering support of her parents.
“They provided not just financial backing but also emotional encouragement,” Zuniga said. “Their belief in my vision gave me the confidence to pursue my passion and turn it into a successful venture.”
Zuniga has always been a “girly girl,” as she put it, so everything about nails piqued her interest. She’s always gotten her nails done, so doing nails herself felt like both an easy way to make money and express her creativity.
“I don’t want to spend $100 on nails that are going to come off in two or maybe three weeks,” Zuniga said. “And, I just think it’s fun. It’s like an art. I like learning more about doing nails.”
To Zuniga, nails are a medium. A way for her to express creative freedom and make good money. So, she’s going to keep moving forward with her business and keep getting better. There’s no doubt in her mind that she loves what she does.
Zuniga said, “The support and encouragement from my family and friends keep me driven to grow and succeed, I see this as my future.”
