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Scholar Stories: Erin O'Flaherty

In love with the passionate culture and breathtaking landscape of Argentina, Erin O'Flaherty's dream is to start a business and live in Argentina. This fall, she will take another step toward making it a reality when she returns to Tulane University in New Orleans for her junior year. Tulane's prestigious Latin American Studies program—one of only four in America—combines academics with research abroad and direct Latin American engagement, making it Erin's ideal place to study. With a Latin America studies and business double-major, Erin's dreams are in sight.

All of this, Erin says, she is able to do because of the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund®.

Erin's dreams almost came to an abrupt halt on September 11, 2001, when her father, New York City fireman Robert O'Flaherty, responded to a call at the World Trade Center. For two days Erin, her younger brother and sister, and their mother held a steadfast vigil by the phone, waiting for news of Erin's father.

Robert spent those days—and many weeks after—with his colleagues from the Bronx's Ladder 37 Engine 79, endlessly searching for survivors. As soon as he could get to a working phone, he did call and reassure his family, but he stayed at Ground Zero, part of the crew fighting for the lives of any survivor they could find. As a result of prolonged exposure to the massive amount of debris and dust in those weeks, Erin's father contracted a lung disease. This left him permanently disabled and forced him into retirement.

Fortunately for Erin and her two younger siblings, the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund offered some good news. Erin's scholarship meant that she could follow her dream, even if it took her all the way to New Orleans for college. And with the help of Families of Freedom, her siblings will get that chance, too. Erin's younger sister will be a freshman this fall at California's Santa Clara University. Their younger brother, a sophomore in high school, already has his sights sent on college.

"I cannot even explain in words how thankful and appreciative my family and I are for this scholarship," said Erin. "Every bit helps."

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