ORLANDO, Fla. – Toni Cross is a single mother of four. Her oldest daughter, Miyah, is 15, her twin sons, Jayson and Justin, are 12, and her youngest son, Jayden, is 11.
“I’m the biggest advocate for my children,” Cross said.
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Cross showed photos of her family full of smiles but at home, things are not as easy as some may think.
“I’m constantly in a struggle with emotional imbalance because I have several energies around me that are chaotic and I’m trying to stay humble and keep my peace,” Cross explained.
Cross said her twin sons are on the spectrum and her youngest son has ADHD.
However, the hardest part has been taking care of her daughter, Miyah, who was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, which interrupts the messages that the spinal cord nerves send throughout the body.
“She fell and she injured her spine, she lost sensory and motion feeling of her body instantly. We had no idea what was going on,” Cross said.
Cross works only two days out of the week at a movie theater. Throughout the week, she takes care of her daughter who is homeschooling.
She explained this is the year she really is counting on the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program so her kids can wake up to gifts on Christmas Day.
“This program, this year, just alone this year, is going to help me tremendously because this year I really am not able to support and provide for my kids this year. I just can’t,” Cross explained.
She also put a request for her mother, 73, so that she can receive Christmas gifts this year too.
But despite the struggle at home, her faith is what keeps her going forward every day.
“Knowing that there is always opportunity for change, that’s what keeps me going. You can’t beat me I’m going to always win,” she said.
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