Scholarship Winner Jonas Hunt

Cedar High School in Cedar City, Utah

February of 2022 is the month that flipped my life completely on its head. Although it began as a regular Covid infection, new symptoms arose and it became clear there was something wrong inside my body. I quit my welding class due to extreme fatigue. My sister ran my paper route because I was too weak to hold the bags. I quit the swim team due to excruciating abdominal pain.

After two months of extensive symptom journaling and numerous visits to healthcare specialists, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease -- a lifelong and unpredictable autoimmune disorder that promised my symptoms would never end. I was 13-years-old and instead of dreaming about the future, I could only see a curse ruining my whole life. I started freshman year depressed and socially withdrawn.

Slowly though, I got to work. I learned how to eat differently, found what worked for my body, and navigated social situations with my disease. As I start my senior year, I’ve gone from having a life-shattering diagnosis to leading a better life than ever before. I’m the swim team captain, a lifeguard at the local aquatic center, and am running for mayor of City Youth Council -- things that seemed impossible three years ago.

The journey to remission has been long and painful, but it's also completely reshaped my worldview. I know Crohn’s may be a lifelong companion, but it’s taught me that with perseverance and finding the positive, you can always get to the light on the other side.