Clark Student Works, Volunteers, Cares For His Mom While Getting National Honor

CLARK, NJ — At 17 years old, Clark local Anthony Gonzalez is doing it all. He works part-time to help pay for his high school tuition, volunteers by feeding and clothing the homeless, cares for his sick mother - all while consistently making the honor roll.

“I'm so proud of his all accomplishments and I am truly blessed having him for a son,” Lisa Gonzalez of Clark said of her son Anthony. “I wouldn't know what to do without him.”

Anthony is entering his senior year at Roselle Catholic High School. He also currently also works part-time at CVS in Clark to help pay for his tuition and support his mom.

Lisa was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2004 and it has progressively gotten worse, Anthony said. In 2014, she had a seizure which created a speech disability.

Lisa was a Clark Police Dispatcher but with her disability she was unabe to talk and work anymore and started receiving disability retirment.

“Everyday is a struggle,” Anthony said. “But she is my hero.”

All while helping at home, Anthony still manages to make the honor roll consistently at school. Most recently, the National Society of High School Scholars selected Anthony to become a member of their organization.

“On behalf of the NSHSS, I am honored to recognize the hard work, sacrifice and commitment that Anthony has demonstrated to achieve this exceptional level of academic excellence,” stated NSHSS Founder and Chairman Claes Nobel, senior member of the family that established the Nobel Prizes.

Along with good grades, Anthony is very active in his school community by helping to coordinate blood drives, activities on campus and also reaches out to the homeless in New York City. He and his school group donate clothes and food to the homeless multiple times a year.

When asked how Anthony finds the time to juggle his personal and school life, he said, “Honestly I have no idea, I really don’t know. I just find time to do the things that are important to me.”

Anthony is planning on going to college after he graduates to study pre-med.

(Photo provided)

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