SarahRohleder049 Sarah Rohleder

7/28/2019 SarahRohleder049 Sarah Rohleder

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On the insidewe are all theoretically the same right

all have a heart and a brain. Well, maybe not exactly the

you probably have an appendix and I dont, but for the mos

the same. When you think about it, the similarities stop

No one has the same feelings as me; not being

to move for days at a time will do that to you. No one else

the same emotions as me; maybe shooting a 20 gaug

gun doesnt give you an adrenailine rush. No one has the

appreciation for life and nature; when you beat the odd

gratuity for your life is adjusted. No one even wants the same

in their future as me; partially because I have no idea what I wmy future, but partlybecause we really arent the same a

Everything around us is about how other people se

billboards, magazines, tv shows, Facebook. Everything we

about how other people think about usthe things we sa

manner with which we walk, what we wear, or even what we hav

option to

This is about how I see myself. These are my thoug

feelings, my appreciation for life and nature, and what I wan

future. This is what you dont know about me. This is me

you who I am, who I once was, and who Id like

This is me looking 1


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1. Blended, braided family | I braided Danielles hair, so of course Sarah had to have hers braided too said

Zach. 2. Cooking with the Corollas | whether eating, getting in my moms way while shes cooking, or makinga mess of our own, our family spends a lot of time in the kitchen, said Danielle. 3. Zombie slaying siblings |

Whenever Sarah comes over, Danielle and her play Call of Duty with me and then we watch a movie on my

Xboxs Netix. 4. A sisterly embrace | Laughing takes up about half out our time when were together. We can

always nd something to laugh about-most of the time its each other! said Danielle.

sisters-Isis Butler, Bailey

Shorten, Ellie McGarvery

Danielle Corolla, Delaney

McClanahan, Kristin Meredith, Shelby

Hateld children-Rodney Furman, BradyDewitt, Keevin Henley, Sidney Johnson

Brothers-Zach Willman, AlexanderKapp, Dallas White, Daniel Clark

Parents-Kelly Cornwell, MeredithCripe, Ryan

Smiley

Scrolling down her Facebooknotications, Sarah Rohleders face lit up; a newfamily request. Adding a new family member toher Facebook family was special to Sarah,.

Some of her family membersare closer to her than others, all of them aresomething different in relation to her. Although

most of her f riends are older than her, some evencall themselves her children because of theirrelationship with her. Sarah is like my secondmom. Shes always caring for me and like xing myhair when its messed up and stuff, said RodneyFurman.

Aside from having Facebook children,Sarah is a Facebook child herself. People jokethat I am Sarahs mommy because Im tall andshes little, so Im always helping her out with stuffand I always do things that people might say aretaking care of her. said Kelly Cornwell.

Sarah has not only a Facebookmother, but a Facebook father too. Im veryprotective of Sarah and I dont want to see her

get hurt, so we have a very father/darelationship, said Ryan Smiley.

Being protective seemed ttheme in her family; a theme she appWe are like brother and sister becauprotective of her and I care what hapI know what shes trying to say without

having to say it; shes my twin, said ZaZach isnt Sarahs only twinwas revived at Manual this year, and was in search of a twin, Isis Butler seemperfect candidate. People at our lukind of started a running joke about hbasically twins, so for twin day we dressalt and pepper shakers. It really heldfriendship, as one of us is black and oand we both complement each other

Each of Sarahs Faceboomembers each contribte something toMy life is crazy and hectic, but I love of these people, said Sarah, I couldmy crazy, hectic life without them.

Staring up at the overcast sky on her best friendstrampoline, Sarah Rohleder smiled, knowing thisplace was her second home. Since the eighthgrade, Sarah found herself at Danielle Corollashouse on a regular basis. Between doing the dishesand laundry with Danielle, crying in front of her step-dad, laughing with her little brother, breaking bonesat the Corollas home, and Black Friday shoppingwith her aunt, Sarah became part of the family.Its the best feeling knowing that no matter whathappens, I have a whole other family that caresabout me almost as much as my family. I can be100% myself around them; I feel completely at home, said Sarah.Some people may see this relationship asexaggerated, but the Corolla family feels mutuallyabout Sarah being part of their family. Werecomfortable around Sarah. Weve seen her ather best and worst. We were there when she wasin the hospital and when she needs to talk, werealways here. I feel responsible for her, like I need tosteer her in the right direction, because I care whathappens to her, said Danielles step-dad, Zach.Danielles mom, Paula, agrees, well shes aroundhere a lot and shes always getting on my nerves justlike my kids, she said, jokingly.Although Sarah is closest to Danielle, she is equallydifferent in age from both Danielle and her youngerbrother, Landon. She was actually friends withLandon rst, as he is fourteen, she is fteen, and

Danielle is sixteen. I can talk to Sarah about schoolbecause she gives me good advice about girls orwhatever, while knowing she wont tell anyone, saidLandon.Becoming sisters with Danielle happened almostinstantly. One day she spent the night, then shestarted coming over at least once a week andmy family just got used to her being here. We justinstantly became really close and it seemed likeI had known her my whole life, said Danielle, sheknows more about me than anyone, and thatspart of how weve stayed so close. I dont have toexplain things to her; she just knows.Sarah constantly conveys how lucky she feels tohave a sister like Danielle. I couldnt ask for a betterfriend. I know that sounds clich, but I really dontknow anyone that has the relationship that I havewith her and her entire family. Shes been through somuch with me, far more than anyone else has, saidSarah, There is only one thing I distinctly rememberfrom the night after my leg surgery. Danielle helpedme up out of my hospital bed, and as she walkedme to the bathroom, my leg starting bleeding reallybadly, dripping onto the oor. I assumed she wouldfreak out at the sight of the blood, but she didnt.She kept her composure and started to clean it upso I wouldnt slip, before she even considered askingfor help. That was the moment I realized that this girlwas far more than my best friend, she truly was mysister.

From playing tag andBarbies at recess in kindergarten,to late nights and shopping tripsin high school, Sarah Rohleder hashad a close friendship with her rstsisters Bailey Shorten and ShelbyHateld for as long as she canremember. Growing up, we didliterally everything together. If I wasntat Baileys on the weekend, I wasprobably at Shelbys. It was alwaysthe three of us, said Sarah.

To Shelby, these memories

paint a picture of popsicles on herfront porch and doing cartwheels inBaileys backyard. We played in mytree house when it was sunny, and Iremember we would always get reallyexcited when my mom let us haveice cream sundaes every once in awhile. I denitely remember that nomatter where we were, we always

had our Cabbage Patch dolls withus! said Shelby, laughing.

For Bailey, the memoriesconsist more of shoulders cried onand having had someone there forher through every struggle of growinup. Sarah and Shelby have beenthrough everything with me, saidBailey, even now, I go to Sarah foradvice, because she knows me theway no one else does.

Throughout the years, thetight-knit relationship has become

stronger and weaker at times, butthey each know that no one sharesthe same memories that they share,and theyll always have eachothers backs. Our relationship haschanged, but its never become anless important to me, because I lovethem both; theyre my sisters, saidSarah.

A Family Tree

Family Vacation | For our last outing together as Girl Scouts, our troop took a

short vacation to Mount St. Joseph and the three of us, llike always, were attached

at the hip, said Shelby.

Birthday Bowling | Shelby and I came to Sararhs get-together for her Birthday,

knowing we wouldnt know anyone else there, but e went anyway-there was noway no way we were going to miss her birthday! said Bailey.

Ive never thought of my family assimply those that Im blood-relatedto or would sit down and eat atThanksgiving with. To me, yourfamily is the group of people thatyou know will always serve as yourshoulder and will love you throughghts, laughter, tears, and bad hair

days. I dont think a lot of peopleunderstand the relationship I havewith these people. They arent justmy best friends, they truly are mybrothers and sisters, or my momsand dads.

CounterClockwisefromTop:Rodney

Furman,KellyCornwell,RyanSmiley,Zach

Willman,IsisButler

Facebook FamilyFamily Outside My Family


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Hea ri ng stor ies about

huntingsparkedaninterestinSarah

Rohlederthatinspiredhertotryitoutfor

herself.Dressedinallcamoaugeandfreezingmaynotbeidealformanygirls,buttoSarah,it

wasanexperienceshehadbeenanticipating

forweeks,Iexpctedittobekindofliketarget

shootingonlyharder,butitwassomuchbetter

thantargetshootingbecauseyouknowtheres

aposibilityofanactual,tangiblerewardfrom

shootingliveanimals,saidSarah.

Beingagirlinamansworld

onlyencouragesSarahtofurtherpursuethe

interest,peopleinitiallydontbelievemewhen

ItellthemthatIamgoodatshootingandthat

IliketohuntsaidSarah.

ShootingwassomethingSarahnever

expectedtobegoodat,thersttimeIshota

gun,IhadnoideawhatIwasdoing,butItook

mytimeandmadeveshots.Threeofmyrstshotsendedupbeingbullseyes,saidSarah.

Evennewfr iendsoftenquest ionher

credibility,untiltheyseeherusedtargets,Shes

prettygoodforagirl,shedidalotbettter

thanIexpected.Shesalmostasgoodasme!

saidSarahsfriend,TJHarris,butonlyalmost,

headded.

Fol lowinginherfamily sfootsteps

wasntsuprisingtoBrianRohleder,Sarahs

dad.Sarahdoesntreallyliketodothings

justbecauseeverythingelsedoes,said

Brian,Shepickedupthe.22rieandlovedit.

Onceshestartingshootingwithotherrearms,

shewantedtohuntwithBradandme.

Althoughsomepeopleare

offendedbyherchoicetohunt,Sarahandherfamilyseehuntingashumane,

Whenyoushootananimal,itexperiences

verylittlesuffering.Notonlyisitaquick

death,butalso,theanimalisfree-range

throughout

itsentirelife,

ratherthanbeing

forcedtotheconnes

ofafarm.,saidSarahs

father,BrianRohleder,,The

animalsusedforfactory

processedmeatlivemuch

lesshumanelythanthe

animalsweintendtohunt.

Sarahsattraction

totheoutdoorsisntlimited

totheallureofshooting,

shealsoshes,camps,andevencanoeson

accasion.Beinginthe

outdoors,Ibecomean

entirelydifferentperson.I

nolongercareaboutwhat

Ilooklike,oriftheresmud

onmyclothes,orevenifmy

hairisbrushed,saidSarah,

Icanthrowonmyhatand

bemyself.Doingoutdoor

activities,including

shooting,isntahobby

thatIparticipatein,its

anexperience.

Atcamplastyear,Itookabreakandwenttocabinvesrieryclass;aboyscabin.MyfriendTJhuntsoften,sohewassuretherewasnowayI,agirl,couldgetabetterscorethanhim.Iwasupforthechallenge. Webothtookour shots andwalkeddown-rangetolookatourtargets.Iwasreallyanxious.Honestly,Iwantedtoprovemyself.IknewwhatIwascapableof,butnooneelsedid.Ishowedhimmytarget,58/60,areallygoodscore.Heshowedmehis

targetinreturn,asolid60/60. Ilost, butIwasntdisappointedbecauseIstil lprovedmytalent..Hekepttellingmehowsurprisedhewas,whilestillmaintaininghiscockyattitude,actingasifwhatIdidwaspureluck.AtrstIwasmad,becauseIwasjusttwopointsshyoftying,butthenIrealizedthat58/60wasplentytobeproudof.

Isteppedoutofthetruck,immediatelyshiveringinthe38degreesandwind.Scramblingtoputonacamofacemaskandgloves,Isurprisinglycouldntbemoreexcitedforthedayahead.Sittingonthetailgate,waitingfortherstsightofsun-light,Ibecamemoreandmoreanxious.Finally,mybrotherandIstartedwalkingtoourspot,andIswearthat12gaugewasaboutahundredpounds.Wemadeourwaytoatreeandsatdown.Curledupagainstthetree,freezingcold,maynotsoundlikeagoodwaytospendaday,buttome,itwascompleteserenity.Theshotgunproppeduponmyleg,thebirdschirpingaroundme,cowsstaringatBradandI;itallmademefeellike

anexclusivevisitortothisland,theseanimalshome.Thehuntbecamenolongeraboutbringinghomeaturkey,itbecameanexperiencethatIknowIwasluckytobeapartof.Themostpeacefulthreehoursofmylifewerespentrightthere;teethchat-tering,facepink,uncomfortablylayingagainstabarrentree.

Making

a

Poin

t

BullseyeBuddies|shootingisoneofth

thatmadeusfriendsoutsideofcamp,sItgotustalking.

DaddysDedication|Ivenevergonefshingwithoutmydaddy,saidSarah,itwouldbeweird

tobeshingwithanyoneelse.Itjustwouldntbethesame.

BrotherBear|Bradisthisburlyguywithabeardandeverythin

Imjustalittlething,lessthan5feet,saidSarah,IdonhtthinkIquiteasttingallcamodup,butitried!

InsideMyOutdoorRefuge

Ridingontheboat,bouncinginthewakeisjustthebeginningofwhatwasabouttobeagreatdayonthewater.GettingupatsixinthemorningwaswellworthitforSarah,asshewastospendthenextfewhourscatchingshwithherdad.Westartedoutthemorningatwafehouseforbreakfast,andbythetimeweleft,thetemperaturewasnice,thesunwasout;itwasjustanoverallperfectdayforshing.,saidSarah. Fishingisjustanotheroutdoorescapethatbringsthefamilytogether..IveshedindifferentplacesinthestatesandalloverKentuckyandeveninCanada,saidBrian,butshingwithmykidsisthebestexperi-enceoutofallofthem. Thecatchofthedaywasadecentone,ats ixbassforSarahandsixmoreforherdad.IdidntknowhowmanyIwouldcatch,ifanyatall,saidSarah,butitdidntmattertomeaslongasIwasspendingmymorningonthewaterwithmydad.

y

Serene Surroundings

Mytwofavoritethings|WewanttotrainHeidi

tobearetrievingdogsoshecangodove

huntingwithus,saidSarah.Campcanoe

battle|Westartedplayingsplashtaginthe

canoesanditjustturnedintoalloutwar;every-

onesplashingeveryonetilwewerecompletely

soakingwet.saidSarah,Itfeltsogoodinthe

blazingsun.Petientlywaiting|Therewerent

manydovesoutthatdaybecauseitwasthe

endoftheseason,soIstartedbecoming

impatient,saidSarah.B

ulls

eye


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Imagine watching someone you lovespend every second struggling tosurvive, screaming in pain, but still havingfaith that everything will be okay. Thatis exactly what the family and friends ofSarah Rohleder had to go through forweeks during the summer of 2007. Iwouldve traded places with herten times over to get her out of thatpain. She was way too young to bedealing with this. I wondered what didshe do, what did we do to deserve this?said Brian Rohleder, Sarahs dad.Sarah had a rare case of appendicitisthat landed her in the hospital on andoff between June 16 and August 8,2007.

Living wasnt a certainty for her,and at one point, didnt even seem likea reasonable possibility. Surviving veinvasive surgeries, hundreds of IVs, andunfathomable pain wasnt easy for her,but it is still making a huge impact onwho she is today. I will never again taketomorrow for granted. No one guaran-teed you that youll wake up. I learnedthat life is in Gods hands, and I dont goto bed without thanking Him for the dayHe has given me, no matter how hard itmightve been, said Sarah.

Going through this, Sarah knewshe wasnt alone. I remember crying withour best friend Shelby, because Shelbyand I knew that if our parents wouldnt

answer our questions, something mustreally be wrong, said Bailey Shorten,a best friend. I had my family, I had myfriends, most importantly I had God. Iknow Hed never leave me alone. Iconsistently had someones hand to holdwhen the morphine just wasnt enough,which was most of the time. My friendseven visited a couple times. I was neveronce alone, said Sarah.

Although it took a course of sev-eral weeks, multiple teams of specialists,ve surgeries, and hundreds of prayers;recovery did come. We had seen kidsthat we knew werent going home fromKosair, and thought of how lucky we werethat she could. We didnt know it untilshe started recovering, but there werekids on either side of us that had it farworse, said Brian.

Looking in the mirror, Sarahs smallscars constantly reminded of how strongshe is. What I went through still affectsme; it will never go away. On a physi-cal level, Im still hesitant to let anyoneanywhere close to my stomach. On amental level, I am grateful for my experi-ence because you truly dont know howstrong you are until being strong is youronly option. I now live my life knowingthat it is a gift, and I dont think a lot ofpeople have been given the chance torealize that, said Sarah. I am lucky tobe here. I am a survivor.

July 14, 2009: Danielle and I were 4-wheeling through the hillsthe wind plastering our shirts to our bodies. We were smiling bhelmets and the sun was dancing on my bare shoulders. BefoWhats your name? Where does it hurt? Questions overwhelay nauseous and in inexplicable pain.

We had just rolled twenty feet into a ravine, hitting countless times until we rapidly met a patch of very large rocksnapped instantly, right in the middle. I locked my gaze on my limb and screamed a blood-curdling scream. I was in compleunable to cry, but not enough to mask the agonizing pain seadown my leg.That was two years and two surgeries ago. It has nally beenmy last surgery and I am stronger than ever. I have come to amultiple scars that decorate my thigh, because like the ones oach, they are constant reminders of my strength. Spending mocrutches, having a 14-inch titanium rod and screws inserted inand crying because I couldnt be independent were all incomstruggles; struggles that have again, made me stronger, and mcept my beautiful scars as part of who I now am.

Strength in a Scar

Grannys

Girl

Inside a Life-ChangingExperience

Closet full of condence

Even as a little girl, Sarah always had admired one woman more than any other, her dads mother.My Granny is one of the strongest women I know. She has done more with her life than most women

her age, and with limited resources, said Sarah.The strength Sarah refers to is the fact that her Granny nearly single-handedly raised ve kids and aneighborhood kid in a home with only three tiny bedrooms, one bathroom, and limited income. MyGranny led a tough life at home. She didnt have much, but what she did have, she put towards thefamily, said Sarah. From what my dad has told me, home life wasnt easy for anyone there.Sarahs mother is proud of the woman Sarah aspires to be, Im proud of how she looks up to herGranny because her Granny is strong-willed and motivated, said her mom.Being compared to her Granny is the highest of compliments for Sarah. I look a lot like my Grannyand we have a lot of very similar personality characteristics, said Sarah, I can only hope to be halfas strong of a woman as my grandmother is.

Browsing window displays throughout the mall and thumbing through forgotten rback of stores, Sarahs head became lled with possibilities of new outts, uniqupersonality. Clothes arent just a necessity to Sarah, but rather an expression of I wear clothes that reect how Im feeling, said Sarah, Some days, I feel really gI look in the mirror, and I have no problem wearing a cute little pencil skirt or tteOther days, I feel not so hot, and then the jeans and sweats emerge.The fundamentals to a good wardrobe are basic to Sarah. Ever y girl should hablack pencil skirt; its better than the little black dress and it radiates condencthat, patterned shirts are a necessity because they match everything and can bup or down. Id say a basic pair of nude pumps and some really unique sandaimportant. They go with everything and are the easiest way to make an outt insaid Sarah, basically, look for something you wouldnt see in everybodys wardNot every day is a fashion show for Sarah though. I try to dress up at least a ca week. It simply makes me feel good about myself, said Sarah. That being saare weeks that I spend every day in yoga pants or hand-me-down sweats andliterally have seven pairs of yoga pants.

Despite her fashion rules, Sarah has one thats more important thannot what you wear, but how you wear it. If you feel like a ten, who is anyone to tyoure not? said Sarah, beauty is about the way you smile and the attitude yonot the clothes you wear.This realization has instilled much more condence in Sarah. If I learned anythinmyself this year, its that just because I dont feel amazing every time I look in thedoesnt mean someone else doesnt think Im beautiful, said Sarah, I feel bettermyself, stronger really.

(clockwise from dominant photo) Kosair Kid | Once youve spent months in a hospital, you dont forget that place, said Sarah.

4 West for a while | I stayed in 4 West throughout most of my stay at Kosair. I got to kn ow the nurses very well, said Sarah.

Maturing in a hurry | Sarah did a whole lot of growing up in that room right there, said Brian, there was a lot of time spent in

room 435. Welcome to 4 West | The sign seems really ironic to me, because as nice of a hospit al as Kosair is, its still not a

place you want to be welcomed into, said Sarah.

Sarah Bell | My granny and I have a special

relationship said Sarah, shes called me Sarah

Bell since I was a little girl, and it stuck

(from left to right) A spring type of thing |

I really love how carefree this outt is and

the way the pink keds make it pop., said

Sarah, it has a cute, almost childish feel

about it, but its still cinched at the waist

to give it a less childish shape. Pretty at a

picnic | Id wear this one to a summer pic-

nic or to the mall, said Sarah, It looks put

together, but still relaxed. A pop and a

pump | I absolutely adore this outt, said

Sarah, Its impossible to walk around in this

an not exude condance. Im really short,

and nude pumps even makemy legs look

longer. The pop of color tops it all off.

(from left to right) Traction unattraction | The traction brace is a device that is

pull your bones apart at the break so that the fragments dont rub together. I

excruciatingly painful experience of my life, said Sarah, They had two 15 pou

attached to the end of the brace, hanging over a bar. The beauty of a sca

scars a lot of times, but then I remember that they are part of me, said Sarah,

my strength. They tell my story.

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On the inside, I have mGo out there and do it. Withstand the bitter cold, sweat through the hea

pull the trigger. Grow stronger through every struggle. What doesnt

will only make you stronger. Persevere, even when it hurts from the insid

Tears are nothing to be ashamed of. Be more than a friend to someo

their shoulder to cr y on, their condant, their family. Try new things. You

know what youre getting yourself into, but isnt that half of the fun?

unexpected. Be whoever you want to be, even if you dont know who

Appreciate what you have, starting with life itself. Never forget that tomo

not a promise. Step backand take a look out your window. Theres a be

world out there. Reach out to someone. Maybe they need you now, b

day, you might need them too. Never underestimate anyone. Determ

and diligence can get anyone anywhere. Dont let physical pain be

When laughing is excruciating, cherish the moments that make you smile

at your scars with admiration, not distaste. Theyll remind you of how stro

are. Remind yourselfthat someone thinks youre beautiful, even when you

You are beautiful. Stop wasting time trying to impress other people, and le

only impress those who matter, especially yourself. Dont forget to take a

to stop worrying about how people are looking at you, an

Looking 9

SarahRohleder049 Sarah Rohleder

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