She was born on November 11, 1946 in Harlingen, Tx, as one of triplet girls. Diagnosed with Bulbar paralytic polio, she served as on of the March of Dimes poster children in 1952. She began her passion for art as a six year old, drawing pictures with pencil on paper and the occasional classroom sketches. She took up oil painting in 1984 while taking care of her ailing mother. In 1986, she took lessons from a local artist, Ruth Long out of Harlingen Tx., to learn to mix oil based colored paints and other painting techniques.

She graduated from the University of Texas in Brownsville, Tx. to become a respiratory therapist in 1994. In 1996, she was diagnosed with Post Polio syndrome as other related illnesses. Today, she paints full time as a hobby.