Tremblay is driven to succeed

Chelsea Tremblay’s world changed forever during her junior year of high school.

Her father went to the doctor to have a bump on his stomach examined. “He thought it might be a hernia,” she recalled.

It wasn’t.

On Dec. 20, 2013, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. “He died less than two months later,” Tremblay said. “It was horrible to watch him waste away.”

Her mom and two younger siblings, 11 and 9, clung to each other as they tried to navigate this new landscape.

The Lakeside senior misses her dad – his presence, his encouragement, his cooking. “I’m the only one in the family who cooks dinner, now,” she said.

Though she grieved her loss, she felt even worse for her mother. “It was tough. She lost her partner in life.”

So, Tremblay has done her best to fill in the gaps. “I got all these responsibilities placed on my shoulders,” she said. “I became kind of like a stay-home mom. I keep the house clean.”

She laughed. “My siblings are like tornadoes!”

Even with the added responsibilities, she’s kept up with her schoolwork and athletic activities.

Science teacher and track coach Steve Olson has been amazed at the grace she’s exhibited in the midst of a difficult time.

“She’s very meticulous about everything from schoolwork to sports,” he said. “She placed third in state in cross country this fall. She really came into her own this season.”

Her favorite subject is science. “She’s by far the No. 1 student in my chemistry classes,” Olson said. “She’ll get perfect scores on exams.”

Tremblay incorporated her siblings into her schedule as much as she could, since she’s responsible for their after-school care. “I stay home a lot more than I used to,” she said. “But I take them with me when I need to. I took them to track practice. I’ve even taken them with me on a date!”

This year, she didn’t run track because of her family responsibilities. Olson said, “She would have probably made it to state and placed this season.”

She shrugs off the sacrifice. “I like cross country more than track anyway, because of all the different courses.” And she still gets her running in even though it’s not at the school track. “I usually run after school before I pick my siblings up at the bus stop.”

She has her eyes on long term goals – like a career in health care. Tremblay will attend Washington State University this fall. “I’ve always placed school ahead of sports and I really like the medical field.”

She volunteers at Providence Holy Family Hospital at the maternity center. “It’s probably the happiest floor to be on!” she said.

Olson has no doubt Tremblay will excel at WSU. “She wrote in her senior essay that she has a ‘Domination Plan,’ ” he said. “She attacks her weakest areas first. Deep down she’s very driven.”

Though the past few months have been a whirlwind of end-of-school activities, responsibilities at home and the excitement of planning for college, Tremblay is acutely aware of her father’s absence.

“Right now, I’m missing him so much,” she said. “So much is happening, like graduation, and he’s not here to see it.”