Jeremy Duke Bio for Christians for Victims
Our founder Jeremy Duke has a very personal reason for bringing together people to empower those suffering to make choices for the future and begin a difficult path toward healing.
During a great year in 2014, Jeremy began to experience the first trial that many who reach out to Christians for Victims can relate to. His father Paul was diagnosed with a malignant tumor on the side of his head and needed immediate surgery to prevent further spread. However challenging, his father was released from the hospital after this bout of Cancer on January 27, 2015, and during this period of gratification and relief which would have ever thought that the greatest challenge was yet to come.
72 Hours later Jeremy received a phone call at 1:00 a.m. Who would be calling at 1:00 a.m.? It was a nurse from the hospital informing Jeremy that his little brother Josh had been in a terrible accident and was critically injured. He was asked to reach the hospital immediately.
As Jeremy Said “Josh had 9 lives, so I told my wife he is probably going to be fine. I called my mom to let her know so she could meet me at the hospital.”
Once Jeremy arrived at the hospital he was asked to identify his brother’s body before his mother came in. Josh had passed away from injuries sustained in the accident.
The emotions of this are shown in Jeremy’s words about the next several minutes, days and weeks following this loss.
“Taking my mother in to see Josh was far and away the hardest thing I have ever had to do. At that moment, I watched her heart break in two. I do not know of any greater pain than what I witnessed that morning. The pain of a parent losing a child is so horrific; no parent should ever have to experience. Now I had to call Josh’s wife and son as well as the rest of my family and tell them the tragic news; it almost did not seem real. It was like watching a movie. I guess everything hurt so bad you almost go numb and just handle each question as they arise.”
With the loss still weighing heavily on Jeremy, he began to have questions about what was next.
The ending of Jeremy’s and his Family’s personal tragedy is the beginning of Christians for Victims.
- I am a born again believer in Jesus Christ.
- Even though I have a strong faith, I could not help but ask why?
- Why did God have to take my brother, a husband, a man who has a 1 year old son?
- Why did this have to happen to my family?
- Why is all of this pain being brought to my family?
- How am I going to take care of my sister in law and my nephew?
- I do not want him to grow up without a daddy.
- What about his future, College?
I was sitting in Church the following Sunday and heard the audible voice of God. I was praying about everything in my life that had occurred and the future when I heard: “Do not worry you are not alone. I am with you and your family. Your job is to take care of your family, and you will be a father to the fatherless.” The unbearable weight that I felt from everything was lifted.
At that moment I realized it was just a trial. It was something I had to go through and learn from. Of course, it raised the question of, what am I supposed to learn?
After the funeral I learned even where it was the darkest, I have always been surrounded by angels the entire time. I am Blessed! The outpour and support from the community were overwhelming. I knew within a few weeks it was time to move. I was living in Fort Worth. I began to feel a strong pull that I was supposed to sell my house and move back to Ennis. I felt that God had put this on my heart, and I needed to be obedient. So, I called a family meeting and presented this to my wife and sons. Their first reaction was, are you sure? We are happy here. I told them that I had never been surer in my life. This would make us more available to help with my ill father and to be available for my sister in law and nephew.
What happened next was unbelievable. We listed our house, and it was sold in 2 days. I was self-employed and was having a hard time getting a loan to build my house. A friend of my brother’s offered me a job. This helped me with getting a loan. I know without a shadow of a doubt that God opened those doors for me. I also know that I was put through all of this so I could better serve the kingdom and help people.
That is why I have started Christians for Victims. Through this tragedy, I can relate to other families and individuals that are having similar experiences.
