Schools
Hard-Working Oak Park Teen Is An 'Angel' To Family: Grad Shoutout
"He lost his dad to cancer at age 9, but never let that hinder him from his goals," Justin's sister said.
OAK PARK, IL— Graduation is a major milestone and deserves to be celebrated! That's why Patch and T-Mobile have teamed up to recognize our community's outstanding 2024 graduates.
This submission comes from Jasmine Vega who nominated Justin of Oak Park.
Graduate’s name
Find out what's happening in Oak Park-River Forestfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Justin
What grade is the graduate finishing?
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High School
What school is your graduating student graduating from?
OPRF
How do you know your graduating student nominee?
Big Sister-Jasmine
Tell us why they deserve to be nominated!
Justin is the last and only male of our OPRF 4th generation of high school graduates from our family.
He has been playing basketball and football since age 6, and has excelled in academics also.
He lost his dad to cancer at age 9, but never let that hinder him from his goals. Basketball was always his first love, but football became his main love and he thrived in the game as one of the top-ranked defensive players in the state of Illinois.
That hard work has paid off and he will be playing Division 2 Football At Roosevelt University On A Football and Academic Scholarship.
Currently at the age of 26 and a former OPRF 2016 graduate myself, I have been fighting brain cancer for the last almost 2 years, and next to My Mom, Justin has always been here for me when I needed him, whether it's coming over to play with his two nephews Eric-age 6 and Milo-age 3 who love him to death, so I can get some rest, or just coming over to take my garbage out cause some days I'm too weak to do it, he finds the time.
I call him the Gentle Giant and he deserves to be recognized for all he does behind closed doors as well as in public.
What's one thing you want everyone to know about your graduating student nominee?
His middle name is Michael, which came from St. Michael the archangel, spiritual warrior, healer of the sick, and defender of children— and that is Justin.
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Congratulations on your achievements, and all of our best wishes to you in the future, Justin!
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