The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree by Erin Gregory
Breon Boyd is a shining light in a world of darkness.
She is one of fourteen children born to her parents and raised in Danville, IL. She went to Daniel Elementary, Southview Middle School, and Danville High School. Breon later attended Olivet Nazarene University for two years before deciding she wanted to come home. She then attended Lakeview College of nursing, but it took her years to finish because she was struggling in classes. In 2019, she put herself to work and studied constantly to pass her exams so she could obtain her nursing degree. She has worked as an RN and ER nurse for the last 19 years.
Breon stays in the Danville area because of her nieces and nephews. She says, “They are my babies.” She has created a strong bond with all of them, and they consider her their safe space when everything seems to be going wrong. She has also cultivated a strong community from her church family and volunteers as the President at Danville Restoring Our Community (DROC). As the President of DROC, Breon supports many events in the community like the Back to School Bash in Garfield Park and the Expungement and Sealing Summit. Breon has been a member of the Faith Deliverance Worship Center since she was 14. She has led the youth department and has even put together gospel shows that have hosted recording artists.
Breon is not quiet about her struggles. She is open about everything because she wants others to see that they are not alone. She has struggled with alopecia, a condition that thins or creates hair loss due to the immune system destroying hair follicles. Breon has struggled with this condition for 20 years now, and she has had an outpour of support and love from her community.
Working in the ER, Breon has become a face that people recognize in this tight knit community. Even after so many years, nothing could have prepared her for the day that her 24-year-old nephew would come in with a gunshot wound. She had stayed with him and made sure that he knew someone who loved him was there. Breon says, “I remember seeing the jacket that is a part of his clothing line and it clicked that I knew who this was – It was such a TV moment.” Even when her world was crashing down she stayed at work until her relief came. The experience gave her a newfound passion for helping others through the work that she does.
Breon’s reason for doing all this essential work is because she has seen so many dark things happen in the world. She started these programs to help families rebuild. She says, “Most of the time it isn’t the child’s fault for their actions. Sometimes it is the example set by the parents that puts these kids in negative situations.” Whenever she is about to judge someone, she remembers that we never know the full reasons for someone’s actions, and we should not judge others.
Thank you, Breon, for your light.
If you have someone you would like to share,
visit https://forms.gle/deCPiQ1cxn1pDLhZ9
or contact Ashton Greer, City of Danville agreer@cityofdanville.org or
Nicole Van Hyfte, Vermilion Advantage nvanhyfte@vermilionadvantage.com.
