Deana Keenan
My name is Deana Keenan. I am a graduate of the New Choices program. Like many women in this program, I am a divorced, single mom. I worked two jobs to make sure my children had what they needed to succeed in life. While building my career, I was able to instill great values in each of my children. Marc, my oldest son, earned an academic scholarship to Duquesne University. Tracy, a twin, earned a partial football scholarship to Stillman College. Maya, my youngest daughter, won a boarding school scholarship. Life was not easy, but I believed my hard work was beginning to yield the best possible return: bright futures for my children.
Everything changed when Marc, my oldest son, was murdered on August 21, 2008. His life abruptly ended at the young age of 22.
It is an all too familiar story—a young man gunned down. Today, it still breaks my heart to turn on the news to hear about the violence daily of young adults losing their lives. Lives are changed daily to violence.
In losing Marc, I lost myself. My life was like a mirror shattered into many pieces. I went back to work a week later, because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do. Go on with life…well, that didn’t work. I soon took a leave of absence. Slowly detaching myself from my loved ones, my career, and my faith, I sank into a deep depression. By the time I realized that I needed help, it was too late. I had lost everything: my job, my car, even my home. Everything that I had managed to build was gone.
I knew my son would not want me to continue to live like this. I needed to find strength—to heal…
I attended a career conference sponsored by Pennsylvania Women Work. There I discovered New Choices, a free career development program for women like me. I listened to two women tell their stories of how New Choices changed their lives. Tears came to my eyes and I thought, I can do this.
Not only did the instructor at my New Choices class welcome me and other women with open arms, but the entire staff at PA Women Work were genuine and helpful along my journey. It felt good to know that even though these people did not know me, they believed in me right from the start. I was amazed to find that each woman in my class shared my pain through her own story. We were equally hurt, lost, and all trying to find our way again. Together, we encouraged and supported one another through the program learning how to heal, rebuilding our trust, developing career skills and most importantly, moving forward with our lives.
Graduating from New Choices meant everything to me. It was my first step to healing. I dedicated my graduation from the New Choices program to my son’s memory. This graduation meant that I had come back from rock bottom and that I could achieve anything.
My son didn’t have the opportunity to graduate from college but through me now he does.
Everything changed when Marc, my oldest son, was murdered on August 21, 2008. His life abruptly ended at the young age of 22.
It is an all too familiar story—a young man gunned down. Today, it still breaks my heart to turn on the news to hear about the violence daily of young adults losing their lives. Lives are changed daily to violence.
In losing Marc, I lost myself. My life was like a mirror shattered into many pieces. I went back to work a week later, because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do. Go on with life…well, that didn’t work. I soon took a leave of absence. Slowly detaching myself from my loved ones, my career, and my faith, I sank into a deep depression. By the time I realized that I needed help, it was too late. I had lost everything: my job, my car, even my home. Everything that I had managed to build was gone.
I knew my son would not want me to continue to live like this. I needed to find strength—to heal…
I attended a career conference sponsored by Pennsylvania Women Work. There I discovered New Choices, a free career development program for women like me. I listened to two women tell their stories of how New Choices changed their lives. Tears came to my eyes and I thought, I can do this.
Not only did the instructor at my New Choices class welcome me and other women with open arms, but the entire staff at PA Women Work were genuine and helpful along my journey. It felt good to know that even though these people did not know me, they believed in me right from the start. I was amazed to find that each woman in my class shared my pain through her own story. We were equally hurt, lost, and all trying to find our way again. Together, we encouraged and supported one another through the program learning how to heal, rebuilding our trust, developing career skills and most importantly, moving forward with our lives.
Graduating from New Choices meant everything to me. It was my first step to healing. I dedicated my graduation from the New Choices program to my son’s memory. This graduation meant that I had come back from rock bottom and that I could achieve anything.
My son didn’t have the opportunity to graduate from college but through me now he does.
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Today, I am a high honors graduate from CCAC and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. I attend Geneva College maintaining a 4.0 GPA and will graduate next spring. PA Women Work helped me to rebuild my confidence and helped me to obtain my current job as a recruiting administrator at PNC Bank.
As I continue on my road of recovery, I remain grateful to PA Women Work. They helped me to succeed, and now I am able to give back. I ask you to join me in supporting PA Women Work to ensure that other women like me receive these crucial services. 
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Deana Keenan received a 2014 Woman of Courage at Pennsylvania Women Work's Circle of Hope. Also awarded were Tamika Duck, Roberta Duff and Caprice Scott.
