“I worked really hard for this; I worked really hard,” Randolph told ABC 11 News.
Randolph lost all of her ability to hear when she was 12-years old, but she did not let that stop her from living a normal life. She eventually got married and had two children.
“I basically raised both of my children while deaf. My oldest one had to grow up fast; she basically did all the doctor phone calls, everything for mommy,” she said.
Her youngest daughter, who was born prematurely, had cerebral palsy, autism, and a severe brain injury. She said just seeing her served as an inspiration for her to get through her schooling.
In 2019, Randolph had the opportunity to undergo a cochlear implant and hear her children for the first time.
“When they activated me and I could hear their voices, I was amazed that how I imagined them to talk was actually how they spoke,” Randolph said. “It was just amazing. It was like a lightbulb clicked for me, and I knew then there was nothing, nothing anymore that I could not do.”
Things were going great for Randolph until she lost her grandmother and her husband after a few months. She also had to undergo emergency surgery to repair a gallbladder operation gone wrong.
But still, she was determined to overcome everything. She finally received her degree and she even did it ahead of schedule.
“Sunshine after the rain: It felt good to be able to hear my name called.”
