TJ Maxx Cashier Mocks Pregnant Teen – But Determined Mom Has Last Laugh.

It’s pretty common, and unfortunate, for people to judge others whose lives are very, very different from their own. They see an overweight woman and immediately assume she lacks self-control when the problem is actually a thyroid disorder. They make fun of someone who’s socially awkward, not knowing that he’s on the autism spectrum.

The fact is, people too often rush to judgment when they have no idea what the other person is going through, or has been through.

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North Carolina resident Alicia Collins knows this all too well, and described an incident that stuck with her for years. She had been the subject of cruel remarks in a T.J. Maxx. 15 years old and pregnant at the time, she was shopping with her mom when she overheard laughter and gossiping coming from somewhere behind them.

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“OMG! How old are you?!”a cashier cruelly laughed while pointing directly at her.

“My Mom snapped of course, but what I remember most from that moment was how ashamed and defeated I felt. When I got to the parking lot, my mama told me I better NOT walk around with shame…that people have no idea who I or India will become…â€

“Less than 2% of teen parents earn a college degree before 30. TWO! While this isn’t my first degree, this one was the most important, because it was based off a dream I had for me and that little baby I was carrying.â€

“To all of the teen parents, single parents, married parents that haven’t quite reached their goals, I AM ROOTING FOR YOU! You CAN! Just get out here and do it.â€

-Nurse Alicia S. Collins, Class of 2017

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So many people who’ve seen her post can relate to Alicia’s daunting situation. Several even shared their own stories of success, overcoming the hurdles of young motherhood while also pursuing their dreams:

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Share to congratulate Alicia for her success, and to let others in similar situations know that they can achieve anything they set out to accomplish.