Keevon is a Patient Care Technician at Northwestern Hospital. That may sound straightforward; however, reaching that point was anything but.

At a young age, he became a caregiver out of necessity, tending to his grandmother after severe diabetes complications, while caring for her brother living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. He recalls days spent at the hospital with the team he would never forget. She survived thanks to the incredible care she received, but once home, her recovery journey fell squarely on Keevon’s shoulders. That responsibility sowed the seeds that would make him a great nurse one day. Though at the time, he admits it felt more like a burden than anything. “I just wanted to be a kid. I wanted to hang out with my friends from school. I wanted a little bit of freedom… I used to love to dance. I just wanted to go dancing with my friends, but I couldn’t.”

As a teen, he eventually pushed back against all that mounting pressure, and pushed back too far, leaving school despite being a gifted student and spending nearly a decade caught in cycles of addiction and self-destruction. Everything changed when a moment of clarity inspired him to take back his life. “If I can spend that many years running the streets, then I can put that same amount of time into getting back in school and becoming a better me, a healed me, a more free me”, he explained.

He returned to school, pursued medical credentials, and connected with Skills for Chicago, where he received hands-on guidance that helped him secure his current role at Northwestern: the same hospital that once saved his grandmother’s life. He credits Skills for Chicago for helping him achieve alignment and bridge the gap between his credentials and his calling.

As we talked, the joy and pride in his voice was unmistakable as he described the moment he got the offer, “I remember immediately calling anyone and everyone who ever helped or encouraged me in reaching this point, and just pouring out my heart. Everything has come full circle with me caring for others the same way I once cared for her. I’m proud to be a part of people’s healthcare journeys and other families’ testimonies.”

Today, Keevon is building a future rooted in service and personal healing. His story embodies the truth that a job is so much more than just work; it can transform pain into purpose and restore hope.

Hear Keevon in his own words at our 2025 Employment Champions Breakfast: [YouTube]