i was working at jcpenney and i came in and found her on the floor of the kitchen in convulsions. and that was the time at 16 years old when i suddenly had to grow up. i had to take care of that family. david: you were interested in music. sheila: right. david: and you were an accomplished violinist. sheila: what had happened, despite all my father's issues, he was a great pianist. ok. i don't know where it came from, but he could sit down and play anything. there was always music in our household. my mother even played the piano. when we moved to illinois, district 89, said it was mandatory to pick up an instrument. that is when i picked up the violin, and i fell in love with the instrument. that instrument was the foundation of my life, my sanctuary. and i became really good at it. david: so you graduated from high school and you went to college, where? sheila: university of illinois. in champaign. david: were you playing music on the side? sheila: no, i was in a very middle-class community. i didn't know about sat prep, i didn't know about a lot of things in preparation for col