What is something you’re proud of?

Enzo | Tāmaki Makaurau

Enzo reflects on his parents’ quiet sacrifices and unwavering love, which taught him that true richness comes from family, not material things.

“I have to say I’m pretty proud of my dad, pretty proud of my mum. I remember when they first told me that when they got married they started with nothing.

I kind of lived in a bubble and I didn’t know what was happening in life. My dad worked at a service station and my mum looked after us. At the time, it was only me and my brother. I remember my dad would come home after work, and we would run up to him and give him a hug. We would fight over who gets to hug Dad first or who gets to hug Mum first.

As I grew up, I noticed that they actually had a really tough life, but they showed us the best. They showed us what it meant to live richly, even though we had nothing. But my mum and dad made sure that we had everything.

For me, being proud of them – they’ve gained this love, this different love from me, for who I am as a person. And so with their strength, I know that I’ll be able to overcome anything.”