Her family, especially her oldest brother, became increasingly frustrated because of the lack of infrastructure for disabled individuals in Colombia, and promised to find a way to bring them all to the United States, where he saw a brighter future for Maria Claudia. In the meantime, Maria Claudia graduated and worked for a hospital as a services coordinator for three years.
He kept his promise, and four years later, her brother called Maria to give her the good news. They left their extended family behind and her parents sold the retirement dream house they had bought, giving it all up for a better future for their youngest daughter. They joined their son in Minnesota for a while and then fled the cold by moving to Texas.

Maria Claudia took intensive English classes and will graduate with an MBA, with honors, outstanding grades and recommendations from her teachers. She has managed to regain strength in her arms with intensive therapy and works for a fashion designer in Austin and is an assistant to one of her teachers. Now thirty, though she looks like she is 20, she is now focused on her next challenge, finding a job to put all that education to a good use!
Maria Claudia told us her story with a serene, smiling face. She never shed a tear or showed any distress, not even at the painful memories. She pointed out that there was never a specific moment when her determination to never give up kicked in and she made long-term plans. She just assumed her situation and committed to do the best with what she has been given, and what an outstanding job she has done at it!