It seems everyone has a Harvey
story. Twins Amanda and Meredith Williams, who look nothing alike, have one.
Meredith is the one with brown, curly hair. Amanda’s is straight and blond.
There are other differences. They
have different dreams, and this fall will head to different parts of the
country. Meredith will pursue an electrical engineering degree at Illinois
Institute of Technology in Chicago, and Amanda will major in theatre at Loyola
Marymount in Los Angeles.
There are also similarities. Both
are class salutatorians. They’re conscientious and loving daughters and
friends. Both are energetic and vivacious. They’re each other’s biggest fan.
And they both say Hurricane Harvey
shaped their senior year. Their home was one of the first to flood.
On the night the rain started,
Amanda went out with friends in spite of weather reports and her parents’ fear
she would get stranded. She was sure that wouldn’t happen – until it did. She camped
out at a Whataburger until her parents rescued her, then she went to bed
thinking the worst was over.
Little did the sisters know, the
worst – and the best – was yet to come.
At 5 a.m., the family started
moving everything upstairs. By 10 a.m., there was a foot of water in the house.
A neighbor rowed the family to the front of the neighborhood with their four
dogs, phones and a few T-shirts.
The family of one of Amanda’s
theatre friends, Abby, hosted the Williams family for a week. “The Haralsons
were wonderful and welcoming,” Amanda says.
The Williams family moved into a
townhouse for the foreseeable future. The girls give their parents, Phillip and
Margie, credit for making the ordeal an adventure. They would eventually sell
their home and buy another flooded house, which they are now remodeling.
The girls spent their time
applying to colleges.
A look at the pre-Harvey sisters:
They are active school and church volunteers. Both are talented. They have
participated in Stratford’s choir and have received recognition at the regional
level. (This year, Meredith sings at the state level.) Both are talented
basketball players. Meredith competes year-round on an Amateur Athletic Union
(AAU) team. She’s the only girl on the team – and she’s 5’2”! A thespian all
four years of high school, Amanda gave up basketball her senior year to
concentrate on theatre and would play the lead in two of her three senior
productions.
There are many more
accomplishments, but this story is about Harvey.
Though they were scared and out of
their element, thinking of college helped them survive.
“Our parents did a good job of
keeping us focused on the future,” Meredith says. “Dad always says, ‘Focus on
the task at hand.’ It works.”
Harvey taught them a lot.
Meredith: “When life throws
obstacles, you have two choices. You can whine and cry, or you can be
productive. Do what makes the situation better. That’s how our parents
approached it. My job was to get good grades and talk to college coaches.”
Amanda: “Be kind. Be kinder than
you have to be. Our neighbor who canoed us out – his house had flooded too, but
he was smiling and helping us.
“Senior year is stressful, and in
high school, stress brings on drama – especially when the year begins with a
hurricane. Kindness outlives any other attitude. My friends have been so kind
to me. The only thing I can do is to give that kindness to other people.”
“Harvey shaped me as a person,”
Meredith says. “I wouldn’t be as grateful. We don’t know what we have until we lose
it. I have more drive now. I am determined to help my parents, whether it’s by
getting scholarships or walking the dogs.”
“It prepared me to take on more
experiences and to handle situations gracefully,” Amanda continues.
Their focus on college paid off.
Amanda will pursue acting in the city known for it. She felt at home when she
visited Loyola Marymount, where she will have a view of the ocean on one side
and the Hollywood sign on the other. Best of all, the students were welcoming.
Meredith was recruited to play basketball at Illinois Institute of Technology.
Both received generous merit and academic scholarship packages.
They agree it will be hard to
leave Stratford behind.
Amanda says, “This is where I
transitioned from basketball to theatre. I found myself here. I owe Stratford a
lot for shaping me. I can’t imagine life without these friends and this
environment, but Stratford has prepared me for good things ahead.”
It will be hard to leave each
other. “In high school, we found different passions,” she continues. “No one
has seen me grow up like Meredith has.”
Meredith says, “Twins are
different than siblings. We are so different, but at the core, we’re so
similar.”
Almost at once, they say, “I’m so
proud of her,” and move on quickly before the tears begin.
What advice would they offer their
freshman selves? Meredith says, “Be grateful for everything, all life’s little
blessings.”
And from Amanda: “Life is so much
bigger than high school. Enjoy each moment. There will be life after this.”
So there, Harvey!
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