Military kid was no brat; she watched over 10 siblings, later saved herself from drugs and distinguished herself helping others
When her two older sisters left home, 15-year-old Brenda Washington began caring for her two younger brothers, babysitting nieces and nephews and cooking for the family. And the standards were high; things had to be done just right. “My dad was military. We were saluting kids. The nickel had to bounce off the bed.” Mostly, ...