Young children who can still represent their age with the amount of fingers on their hands enjoy being on playgrounds, oblivious to visible, harsh realities. However, antiseptic smells became the regular aroma of Samantha Ottati’s hospital room, and as kids her age “[built their] own lightsabers at Hollywood Studios, I got to build my own head.” Simply put, she was different and unique, but through her story, those daunting experiences gave her the courage to leap, and never stop.
Her condition is known as Craniosynostosis, a birth defect that impacts the shape of the skull and prematurely fuses the bones, minimizing the space the brain has to grow. Samantha underwent surgery “at ten months old to make room for [her] brain, and a large procedure at nine years old to remodel the look of [her] head.” After the numerous procedures she underwent, they left her with a scar shaped like a headband, which many kids teased her about.
Reaching third grade, the cruel world taunted Samantha and told her she was unlike everyone else. “A little boy in my class would only refer to me as ‘Potato head,’” Samantha describes, but later on saying that surgery would present a new reaction, “No more ‘Potato head,’ but hello ‘Scar.’” Unwanted attention escalated, and the thoughts of the students involved in Samantha’s late elementary and early middle school experience only had the cover of a book to judge her on, without looking underneath to find the real Samantha.
The final four years of high school changed her perspective, flipping a switch inside her brain, “I began admiring myself for the person I am… I realized that my mentality was flawed,” expressing her emotions of the true meaning behind the word ‘Acceptance’ as she typed away her college essay: “Acceptance gained a new meaning. To be accepted meant to be appreciated for who I was, and not compared to what I wasn’t. I believed I was pretty for someone with concave eyes and confident for a girl with a large hairless scar on her head. I was completely wrong. I am pretty because I am, and confident because I have every right to act in a way that makes me feel good, with no exceptions.”
Continuing with a newly found meaning of ‘Acceptance’ by her side in PPCHS, Samantha joined HIP during her Junior year and HOSA in her Senior year, revealing a true love at first sight for the medical field. In addition, reaching sixteen gave her the experience of becoming a lifeguard at CB Smith Park. Elated with her job, Samantha “also gained a family as well. Working side by side with people who have your back every step of the way will never compare to the dollar amount that you make when on the clock.”
Working as a lifeguard brought in great moments and friendships Samantha cherishes to this day. The working hours didn’t feel lingering or formidable, “but behind the closed doors of the breakroom and first aid office is laughter.” Her work became a home away from home. Dedicating hours there, through the seizures, heat strokes, and gashes, the teamwork was impeccable, “this job was my muse for what I wanted my life to have.”
Despite such cruel personal experiences, it taught her valuable lessons, making Samantha the woman she is today. Understanding phrases in larger meanings, and accepting herself for true beauty, Samantha had “learned that what [she] thought was unusual, is usual.” Striving through countless opportunities, accepting them with grand arms, leaving her delighted, and overjoyed for the paths she walked past: “Time does not come back to you, so use it wisely.”
Learning acceptance, she became stronger and happier, and this kept her head held high: simply, she jumped, and she never landed once her feet left the ground. Being unique is something that can become fearful, and Samantha did worry, but not anymore, “Ultimately, being the needle in a haystack in life is special. You’re the one in a million many people look for and don’t let go once found.”
As her years in PPCHS ended, she was accepted into UCF and dedicated her time to her dream job: nursing. Teamwork is critical, which Samantha experienced being a lifeguard, and participating in clubs helped her grow as others would rely on each other: her heart was set, and it exploded with the love she gained from her souvenirs of the past. “We can’t forget that seeds grow into beautiful, hardy trees, it just takes time and exposure to the elements,” Samantha says. The unknown is intimidating, and that’s normal, keep traversing through, because such experiences form memories that without entering the creepy forest, one would’ve never gained.
