“DANIEL’S BASICALLY BEEN LIKE MY DAD.”

Watch coworker Daniel Nelson share his journey from growing up surrounded by violence on the South Side of Chicago to gang violence to saving lives here at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls.

“The kids that I work with are the kids that I grew up with. The kids that I work with are me,” he says.

Entwined with his story is that of Joanne, a former Mercy Home youth, who experienced a serious medical hardship after leaving our care. She recalls how Daniel stood by her side as she overcame all odds and made a miraculous recovery. “It’s really significant to have somebody value you that much,” she says.