Inspiring Host Mom

Hey! I'm FLEX 19', and today I want to tell you about the most inspiring person I have ever met – my American host mom. Her name is Audrey Demmitt and she has made a difference in the life of thousands of people, mine included.

As a nurse, she traveled the world to help people – vaccinated children in the Dominican Republic after a disastrous hurricane, taught about balanced eating in Bolivia, treated the ones in need in Mexico… With my host dad, Kevin, she took their 3 kids to Peru to spend time helping in an orphanage over the summer. Oh! Did I mention that Audrey is legally blind? With little vision, she travels all over the US with a guide dog, speaks at medical conferences, cooks (way better than I ever could), leads a support group for the blind, writes articles, takes care of her grandchildren, goes skiing in the winter and hiking during the summer... All that she does is impressive, but what I remember most from the year I spent with her is the love she gave me. Audrey was the one who taught me how to hear what people don’t say, ask the right questions and notice the little but significant details of someone's life. We spent many nights talking and created beautiful memories traveling together to 11 states.

“During my exchange year, she became not only my second mom, best friend but also a mentor.”

Her life goal is to brighten the lives of others and I was able to experience that light every day. All of her children followed their dreams and created their own families with breathtaking life stories as well. After years of traveling, they moved to live close to my host parents. We stay in touch and I hope we will forever. I will always be thankful to her and my entire host family for hosting me and being the best guides in both a foreign country and in life.