Priscilla has always had a caregiver’s heart, which led her to a career in healthcare as a Patient Care Technician. Together with her mother, she also cares for her niece and nephew, whom her 6-year-old son Juan lovingly considers siblings. During the COVID pandemic, Priscilla faced a challenging period when both she and Juan, who suffers from severe asthma, fell ill. Once their health stabilized, this experience reignited her passion and strengthened her resolve to continue making a difference in healthcare. Yet, the pandemic left Priscilla worried about securing stable housing for her and her young son.
“There's no way that I can do it on my own and get myself a little apartment so. The studio was my only option. Especially during COVID, I thought I was going to lose my apartment because I was out with COVID for a very long time, and I did not get paid for that.”
Working the graveyard shift, Priscilla provides care for long-term critical patients. Living in a cramped studio apartment filled with toys presents challenges, especially trying to sleep during the day with noise coming from shared walls and noisy upstairs neighbors. She often gets only 3-4 hours of sleep between shifts.
Earlier this year, there was a particular exhausting day for Priscilla—after performing back-to-back compressions on two patients and facing emotional and physical exhaustion, she still had to pick up her son, handle car troubles, and prepare for her next shift. Just as she felt defeated, Habitat Tucson called to say she was accepted into the program. Overwhelmed with emotion, she broke down in tears. “I just remember that was such a big turnaround for that whole day I was running on empty but that gave me all the energy I needed to get through another overnight shift and to get through the rest of my day. It was just perfect–it was just what I needed to just give me that fuel to keep going.”
Priscilla has forged ahead and is building to the day she gets the keys to her new home. In the meantime, she has been surprised by her biggest cheerleader-her son, Juan. He has watched her working overnight shifts, putting in her sweat equity hours, and sacrificing their time together so in the end they’ll have a safe place to call home. Juan is very mature and reassures her with maturity beyond his years. “He’s like, ‘Mom, it’s OK. I’m fine. I’m safe. I’m at Nana’s. I’m OK.’ That just gives me the feeling of being like, okay, this isn’t forever. This is only for right now and then we’ll be able to be in our home together.”
Priscilla is most looking forward to filling her new home with loving memories and is looking forward to the holidays. Her family used to gather at her grandparents’ house, but after their passing, that tradition faded. She dreams of reviving it in her own home.
“We don't have the one home that we all go to. We just lost that. I want to be able to be the one to take that over to get the family back to being close because I know that that's what my grandparents always wanted. So, for me to be able to do that in my own home would feel like I made them proud.”
This Super Mom is showing the true strength of love and perseverance—proving she can do it all for her son and herself. Priscilla is not just building a house; she’s creating a home where her family will feel safe, find stability, and grow together. Every nail she hammers and every wall she raises represents her unwavering commitment to providing a brighter future, filled with love, security, and endless possibilities.