Hailey Whisenant was born in 1994 in Biloxi, Mississippi to an Air Force family, strong willed and ready to tackle the world. Being a military dependent, she relocated and resided with her parents and older brother to Eagle River Alaska where she lived from age seven to thirteen. Upon her father’s military retirement, the family settled in Southeast Georgia where Hailey finished middle school and graduated high school with Honors. Sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Hailey competed in her high school scholarship program with aspirations of a career in the pediatric healthcare field.
Although Hailey had a passion for children and knew she wanted to pursue a career in pediatrics, it was the birth of her son at age 19 that confirmed the dream. She fell in love with the pregnancy, the delivery process, infant care, and postpartum care. It was then she decided to work with other pregnant women, delivering their children. Originally her plan was to quit college and join the Navy, but shortly after receiving her ASVAB results, she discovered she was pregnant. That news hindered her Navy plans. “It was then I knew God had other plans for me,” she said.
Continuing at the local college, Hailey took all her prerequisites during her pregnancy and got into nursing school when her newborn son was a little over three months old. Hailey says her son was her motivation for everything. She wanted to be able to provide for him without struggling.
Although juggling life with a new baby, working two jobs and attending nursing school, Hailey managed to make the Dean’s list after her first year graduated when her son was just under four years old, and was chosen to sing the national anthem at the award ceremony for her class. During her freshman year she was offered a job at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville Florida where she worked in Neuroscience for two years while attending nursing school and after graduating. Now at 25 years old, Hailey holds a bachelor’s degree as a Registered Nurse and is a single mother of two children ages five and 18 months.
Read the rest of Hailey’s story here
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