A First-Time Homeowner’s Story of Resilience

A First-Time Homeowner’s Story of Resilience

Aubrianna brings determination and strength to every aspect of her life. She works in the ICU as a CNA, is preparing for nursing school, raises her three children, cares for her five-year-old autistic son, and on top of it all, is becoming a first-time homeowner.

Through Milwaukee Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership program, Aubrianna is building a brand-new home for her family. The journey hasn’t been easy. As the first in her family to become a homeowner, she has been navigating the process without the guidance of relatives who’ve done it before. 

“I’ll be the first homeowner in my family,” Aubrianna said. “It feels good. I feel like I’m on the right path. I’m beyond grateful I got here and am doing it through Habitat. It’s an awesome program.”

One of the reasons that Aubrianna is determined to become a homeowner is to better provide for her autistic son.

“He’s a level three, highest level. He’s nonverbal,” Aubrianna said. “He’s improved a lot after therapy. Any type of therapy he can get in, I have him in.”

In addition to therapy, Aubrianna does her best to create safe spaces for him at home. In a past rental, she transformed a walk-in closet into a sensory room. However, rental restrictions often made it difficult to make the home or yard fully safe for him.

“For my son, this new house is going to be nice,” Aubrianna said. “I can safe proof the house however I want. When renting, you can’t do many adjustments to the house because it’s not yours. In the new house he can run around, stomp on the floor. He will have all the space and opportunity he wants to meet all of his sensory needs.”

Aubrianna has faced challenges during her son’s autism diagnosis.

“It’s been a life adjustment for the last three years,” Aubrianna said. “He got diagnosed at two and there’s been challenges. But I do what’s best for my children…It’s stressful at times but I’m not going to give up. You work through hard times. Momma can never stop figuring it out.”

Aubrianna has learned to be independent over the years, often navigating challenges on her own. Now, in her journey to homeownership, she feels supported.

“[Habitat] didn’t give up on me,” Aubrianna said. “Going through life, people give up on me. You didn’t give up on me.”

She believes she is in the right place in her life and is determined to accomplish her goal of homeownership.

“I stay hopeful and never stop praying,” Aubrianna said. “This is where it has led me. This is my assignment for now.” 

Since she was accepted into the program, Aubrianna has taken her kids to the lot where their future home will stand.

“I rode over there and showed them,” Aubrianna said. “Now the foundation is there. We took pictures of the foundation and we will keep taking pictures. When they start working on the house, we’ll ride by. We’re going to keep doing that.”

As they watch their new home be built from the ground up, Aubrianna imagines what it will feel like when they move in.

“It’s going to be great,” Aubrianna said. “It’s going to be something I have dreamed about as a kid, something I thought I would never be able to have. It’s going to be awesome. It’s going to make me feel really good inside, knowing I have something I can call my own.”

That deep sense of pride comes from everything Aubrianna has worked through to reach this point. The same strength that has carried her through life’s challenges is now helping her build a home where her family can grow and thrive.