When little Lena was born, her mother Carla was just 22 years old. Many around her wondered if someone so young could raise a child on her own. But Carla held firmly to one belief: love and dedication could overcome any challenge.

Carla didn’t have a diploma, nor the ability to drive, but she poured all of her energy into giving her daughter a strong start. She woke every two hours to feed Lena, read bedtime stories with patience, and taped multiplication tables to the fridge so learning became part of daily life. Every coin she saved went toward small science kits, planting seeds of curiosity in her child’s mind.

Whenever Lena asked about her father, Carla had a gentle answer: “You don’t need a rocket to go far, just a strong launchpad.” Those words became a guiding light. With her mother’s support, Lena found her passion early and began turning dreams into achievements.

At the age of 10, Lena won her school’s science fair. By 16, she had earned an internship at an observatory. At 21, she graduated at the top of her class in aerospace engineering. And on her very first day at NASA, she proudly walked through the doors holding her mother’s hand.

For Carla, that moment was overwhelming. As the director welcomed Lena, she whispered through tears: “I always knew she would reach the stars.” It was a dream come true not just for Lena, but for the woman who had built the foundation beneath her.

Now, as Lena works among the stars, she never forgets the image of her mother — young, determined, and radiant, holding her in a second-hand sweater. To her, that picture represents the very beginning of everything.

The world once doubted Carla’s ability to raise a child. Today, her daughter’s achievements speak louder than words. And every time Lena sends photos from space, she adds the reminder that defines her journey: “My mother is the reason I’m here.”

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