Sometimes, it’s about the love and support of one special person.
“I grew up all over the place,” said Ruthann Daily.
“I lived in Vinton County with my mother until my dad passed. Then we moved for three years until I went into foster care and lived in Portsmouth, Akron, Canton, Wilmington, Zanesville , as well as multiple other places.
"When I turned 13, I moved to Chillicothe with my biological mother and stayed there until I entered an abusive relationship and had to run to Reynoldsburg in February of 2022.”
Tammie Gorsuch, a relative, remembers it well. Gorsuch was active-duty Air Force, Army National Guard and Air Force Reserve . She retired after 24 years.
“The first time I met Ruthann was in 2006, when she was only 2. She’s my first-cousin’s daughter. I was visiting Ohio for a family reunion after completing a deployment to Iraq," said Gorsuch.
“Ruthann’s journey has been fraught with unimaginable challenges,” she said.
“At just 2 years old, she lost part of her right arm in a lawn-mower accident . When she was 6, she witnessed her father’s sudden death, an event that deeply scarred her. Her mother, unable to cope, turned to drugs, leading to Ruthann entering foster care from around age 9, making it difficult for her to find a sense of belonging.”
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Daily, now 20, agreed her upbringing was “difficult.” In addition to everything else, she was 16 when her mother passed away.
“Facing losses with my family, even having to watch some of the deaths, the instability of moving, foster care, bullying over the loss of my hand, it was a battle," said Daily.
"I spent a lot of time alone. I learned I only had myself to depend on, and that’s hard for a kid.”
Then Gorsuch moved back to Ohio and reached out.
“Tammie always showed she cared for me. I was in an abusive relationship and by the grace of God, Tammie came to pick up my son and I and we took our belongings to a new city to start over," she said.
The transition was difficult for Daily.
“At first, they didn’t know how to act,” said Gorsuch.
“I believe they were afraid (that) if they made any mistakes, we would kick them out! Has it always been smooth sailing? Of course not! But over the last two and a half years, I’ve had the privilege of watching both her and her child blossom. They’ve found happiness and security in a stable, loving home.”
Once firmly established in the Columbus area, Daily entered the National American Miss pageant in July.
She won two awards but didn’t place in the top 10.
“It was heartbreaking,” said Daily.
“But I’ll be back next year to compete for Miss Ohio 2025. I got invited to nationals in Florida to compete in the Miss USA pageant but, right now, it just isn’t realistic with the expenses it would take.”
The two are currently working on sponsors for Daily to go.
Despite what the future may hold, though, Daily has remained positive.
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“If I have one message, it’s to be kind . Be a nice person. Spread positivity everywhere because you don’t know what people are going through. Smiling really does make things feel better. And never, ever feel ashamed of you are. As long as you’re kind, you’re beautiful, no matter what," she said.
Gorsuch remains optimistic, as well.
"I hope Ruthann’s story encourages others to keep fighting for a better tomorrow, no matter what they’re facing today," she said.
"Her journey reminds us that our circumstances don’t define us. It’s our response that shapes our lives. She’s not just a contestant in a pageant, she’s a beacon of hope and strength for our community.”
Drew Bracken grew up in Upper Arlington, was a TV news anchor for years and is a longtime freelance writer for Gannett newspapers. If you have a suggestion for a future inspirational profile, email Emily Rohozen, entertainment and things-to-do editor, at erohozen@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: A childhood of challenges: One Columbus woman helps change life of another
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