Althea Smith, 62, worked at Apple before a drug addiction cost her the job. Now she is raising her grandson alone after her mother's death and plans to retire this year.
Alpha Score of 64 reflects moderate overall profile with strong momentum, weak value, strong quality, moderate sentiment.
Althea Smith, 62, worked at Apple when the campus was small. She was fired for lateness tied to a drug addiction she later overcame. Today she lives in Stockton, California, raising her 14-year-old grandson alone.
Smith got guardianship of him in February 2025 after her daughter's mental health declined. She had to take foster parent classes and get a permit. The process took time off from work.
Her mother, who never raised her, died earlier this month after eight years of Smith's care. Smith said it has been a weird feeling. She is grieving but still has to care for her grandson.
She went back to school in March and earned her high school diploma remotely, plus an AA degree. She plans to retire from her current medical job at the end of this year and become an adult support worker for aging seniors.
Smith hopes to travel more once her grandson turns 18 in four years. She is looking into buying another home and renting out her current one.
"I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel," she said.
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