Korageous Heart - Angela Almonte

What does it mean to be Korageous?

Let me begin by telling you the story behind being Korageous. I met T. Kormasa when I was a Sophomore in High School. I think it was 1996, and we have been best friends ever since. I have seen Kormasa aka Masa girl go through almost all stages and circumstances in life.

Beginning with her colorful choice of clothing in High School, to her dancing competition in the clubs (yes, I can picture her dancing like it was yesterday, shoes flying in the air and all).

Then came the serious stages of her life, this is when she met her husband Emmanuel. I was that friend that gave her husband a hard time and definitely the side-eye every time I saw him. But I saw that he had true good intentions and truly loved my best friend, that’s when I eased up on him. When life was finally settling down for her, that’s when she began to get sick.

Enter the years of uncertainty. She began going to the doctors. Test after test, all they came up with was Lupus mainly affecting her skin. But Kormasa kept telling me that she felt like she was suffocating at her job. Her first thought was “maybe it’s time to look for another job, that might be why I feel suffocated/trapped”. As time went by, she finally got diagnosed. Pulmonary Fibrosis.

When Kormasa told me that she has Pulmonary Fibrosis, I was shocked. My first thought was “You got this!!!” But I never thought how serious her disease was. As time passed and I saw how she was affected by this disease, I refused to allow my friend/ sister to go through this alone.
I supported her through every decision she made and I also told her when she was making or acting unreasonable with herself or others. Pulmonary Fibrosis has tried to take over her spirit and occasionally, it has succeeded but Kormasa does not allow it to last very long.

To be Korageous, is to be strong. Not allowing a disease dictate your life, or to make you feel like your only option is to give up. To be Korageous, is to scream, yell, cry and claim to the world “PULMONARY FIBROSIS WILL NOT KNOCK ME DOWN, I FIGHT UNTIL THE END!!!” This is why I love Kormasa and this is why I Am KORAGEOUS. She motivates me to fight for what I believe and she helps me realize how strong willed a person can be.

I ask that you take the time to support my friend and sister Kormasa and she continues to fight!

Angela Almonte