Trying to see the good in people is one lesson this mother of two realized was one of the best “gifts” she would ever receive.

Patty Hitchcock of Bainbridge explains her life has had its trials and tribulations and through it all she found herself, found out who she wanted to be and what kind of mother she was.

Hitchcock grew up one of five children in Queens. She and her family moved north before her senior year and she graduated from Unatego high school. At age 16, Hitchcock began what turned into her life-long career thus far at the Cullman Center in Sidney. By 1996, Hitchcock was married and soon after began to raise a family.

Patty’s life would be forever changed in 2003 when her husband feel ill, was hospitalized, and never returned home. Her children were young and she’d never thought she would be raising them alone. “My life did a complete 360 and I didn’t know what I was going to do,” she said, “It was Christmas and I didn’t know how I was going to get them gifts and juggle everything else.”