Cameron Merchant

Name: Cameron Merchant

Age: 21

Family: My mom, Nicole, and brother, Blake

City of residence: Corning, but I'm moving to Chico.

Occupation: I have a job at the Dollar Tree, and I'm registered at Butte College.

You aspire to be...: A teacher, either for history or physical education.

Hobbies, interests: Sports

Tell us about a life-changing experience: Getting medically discharged from the Navy.

What is something unique about you? I guess having spina bifida, other than that I'm pretty average.

Whom do you most admire and why? My mom because she raised two kids by herself.

What brought you/family to this area? We didn't plan on it, but we ended up following my grandma up here. We lived in a bad neighborhood in Suisun, near Fairfield, and my mom said we just needed to get out of there.

What's your guilty pleasure? Stealing mom's chocolate.

Favorite places to go in the area? One Mile and the Sacramento River

What is the best advice you have ever received? Can't really say just one. I get plenty from my grandma, Linda Sexton. She is a walking counselor.

Most embarrassing moment: One time when I was in the fourth grade, I passed gas at the movies. Then, it was so embarrassing. It was awful.

If you were going to donate time/money locally, where would it go toward? Probably toward any group that does stem cell research.

Favorite food: Ribs

Closest you've been to a famous person: At a Kings game, Dirk Nowitzki walked by me and, of course, all I could think of was, "Wow, he's tall."

Favorite musical group and why: 30 Seconds to Mars. It was my first concert.

Favorite movie and why: "Coach Carter," my grandpa went to that high school.

CONTACT Cindy Monroe at 824-5464 or cmonroe@tcnpress.com.