Here's Why Jamie Was Selected As An Oak Lawn Local Hero

OAK LAWN, IL — When times are tough, heroes emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented and changing times.

Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these heroes making a difference in their communities. We’re working to let all your neighbors know about these outstanding people and their stories.

This submission comes from David Prerost who nominated Jamie Prerost of Oak Lawn. Jamie is David's wife.

Local hero’s full name:

Jamie Prerost

Local hero’s home state

Illinois

Local hero’s Patch

Oak Lawn

How do you know the local hero?

She is my wife

What does the local hero do?

She works full time as a Director of Student Services at a Cosmetology School shaping today's youth, an operations manager of Body20 workout studio and a 24/7 wife and loving mom to our two children, ages 1 & 3.

Why do you believe the local hero should be recognized or honored?

My wife is a Superhero in disguise. She works for a Cosmetology School and in charge of shaping and changing lives of 150 students on a daily basis. She helps them with their goals and problems, whether they are academic or personal. She helps them overcome their fears and realize their true potential of whom they have set out to be. She educates young women on how to thrive in today's society and be successful. She reminds them every day that mediocrity is not an option if you want to be great!

She also is the operations manager of Body20, a workout business. Since having our two children back to back, she is also working on herself daily reach her overall goals of health and help others reach their goals while working out. On top of working two jobs, she takes wonderful care of me, her husband, and our two small boys. She enjoys being a mother more than anyone I have ever met and gives her undivided everything to her family. She is never too tired to play with them, give them a bath or read them a bedtime story. Mama is everything to them and when she comes home nothing else matters but Mama.

With the big heart she has, she also finds it important to help other families. My wife has collected dolls her whole life, thinking one day she would pass them down to her children. However, we were blessed with two little boys instead. So after letting these dolls sit for many years, she decided to give them away on Christmas to families in need who could not afford Christmas gifts. Last Christmas, she gifted thousands of dollars in dolls to over 30 families. She could have sold these items for a profit, considering they were all mint condition in the boxes. However, it was more important to her to give them to children in need. She said we have all we require, so I want to pay it forward to another family. I would hope if we were ever in a situation that someone would extend the same gratitude to our family. She does all this for everyone and expects nothing in return. She is truly a good person and the world knows it.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the local hero?

Our Children are everything to her. We had a long journey of infertility, so for her to be a mother; she wanted nothing more in life. She never gave up, as hard as it was. She always told me one day we would see the faces of our babies. She was positive every step of the way and now shares her journey with others fighting against infertility. That's the thing, no matter how much she does for us, she always wants to help others live their best lives.

Thank you for all you do, Jamie Prerost!

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Know someone making a difference in town? Nominate them as a local hero here.