{"id":207003,"date":"2019-06-12T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-06-12T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/207003\/young-man-fights-against-the-odds-to-pursue-a-life-of-helping-others\/"},"modified":"2019-06-12T16:05:56","modified_gmt":"2019-06-12T14:05:56","slug":"young-man-fights-against-the-odds-to-pursue-a-life-of-helping-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2019\/06\/12\/young-man-fights-against-the-odds-to-pursue-a-life-of-helping-others\/","title":{"rendered":"Young man fights against the odds to pursue a life of helping others"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Growing up has not been the easiest of roads for Primrose Hill resident Devin Hitchings (20), but he is persevering and overcoming all the obstacles in his path.<\/p>\n<p>He was recently nominated for the Purple Heart of South Africa Award for his outstanding bravery in volunteer work and for overcoming life\u2019s difficulties.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p>Devin works as an emergency medical dispatcher (EMD) for a private ambulance service in Johannesburg North, but his work helping people does not stop there.<\/p>\n<p>Once he is off the clock he volunteers as a patroller for the Primrose CPF, as well as being involved with the Edenvale CPF and being the vice-chairperson of the Edenvale SAPS Youth Desk.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p>He is also a SA Search and Rescue volunteer, which specialises in missing people and helps on crime scenes.<\/p>\n<p>His work with the CPFs involves assisting at crime scenes and medical emergencies, as well as helping to make the areas a safer place to be.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"7019067027 - Melissa Germiston Devin Hitchings Purple Heart Recipient by Germiston City News\" width=\"500\" height=\"400\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?visual=true&#038;url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F635030271&#038;show_artwork=true&#038;maxheight=750&#038;maxwidth=500\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>With the youth desk one of his duties involves visiting schools to give children educational talks, for example about bullying.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe that a person is brave when they do something that scares the hell out of them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis could be getting out of bed and facing the day or running into a dangerous situation to save a life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Devin\u2019s childhood was not easy.<\/p>\n<p>His parents divorced when he was young and when he was about 10 or 11 years old his mother, Julie Meijer, was diagnosed with breast cancer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI spent many days and nights at the hospital sleeping next to her bedside,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLuckily she beat the cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Devin\u2019s siblings, Gareth (30) and Michael (25), stayed with their father after the divorce.<\/p>\n<p>In 2010 tragedy struck his mom again when her vehicle was hit by a cash-in-transit van in Alrode when criminals tried to rob it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe was badly injured in the accident and had to be airlifted by an SAPS helicopter to hospital,\u201d Devin said.<\/p>\n<p>Things started looking up for mother and son when they moved to Pretoria when Devin was in Grade Six.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/206407\/international-catwalks-beckon-albemarle-beauty\/\" target=\"_blank\">International catwalks beckon Albemarle beauty<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/206320\/your-primrose-cpf-committee-for-the-next-five-years\/\" target=\"_blank\">Your Primrose CPF committee for the next five years<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would walk to and from school and when I got home in the afternoons I would do the garden, cook the dinner and make sure the bath was run for my mom when she got home as she worked long hours,\u201d Devin said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis carried on for a few years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy mother is my role model, my hero, my everything.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe used to sing together and were part of starting the Hillsong Choir.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI learnt lots of things there like sound and lighting techniques, but I think the spark for the medical profession was always with me since Grade R.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBy Grade Six I had already completed my level one first aid course and I have been volunteering on ambulances and helping at sports events since the age of 14.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now Devin has a\u00a0 basic life support (BLS) qualification and plans to continue his studies and eventually go into rescue full-time.<\/p>\n<p>He finds his work as an EMD incredibly satisfying even though it involves long shifts, many involved tasks and stressful situations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI love the stress and the adrenaline rush of the job,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>He also loves volunteering at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in the casualty department.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are so many interesting cases at the hospital and I love working there.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou learn so much from the doctors about pre-hospital care,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>While Devin and his mom were living in Pretoria his mother met a man and the couple married and they moved to the Vaal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn 2016 my stepfather committed suicide in front of me and my mother,\u201d Devin said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis was a turning point in my life and I decided to help people to heal myself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was also the victim of sexual, emotional and physical abuse between 2006 and 2010.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Devin added that in 20 years he has felt rejection, hate, shame, fear, guilt, sadness, depression, despair, envy, doubt, jealousy and frustration.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI made the decision to use my life to make a difference,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have a passion to help people and I love helping them in all respects.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI encourage other young people who have been through difficult circumstances to believe that they can make a difference.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery person is brave in their own way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tracy Enslin, the chairperson for the Primrose CPF, said the CPF is proud and honoured to count Devin among their ranks.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Hav<\/strong><strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-admin\/germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za\">germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:leighh@caxton.co.za\">leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0<a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/germistoncitynews\/\">Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GCNnews\">Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/germistoncitynews\/\">Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCblgxW6BRXTLGLQvpcumLqA\">YouTube<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Or add the GCN on<span class=\"apple-converted-space\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><strong>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong><span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<strong>BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong><span class=\"apple-converted-space\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/bedfordviewedenvalenews.co.za\/\">Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/albertonrecord.co.za\/\">Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/kemptonexpress.co.za\/\">Kempton Express.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-below-post-content\">\n<div class='tenancy_slot tenancy_slot_1 jannah_ad' style='display: none;' data-query-id='8ef7938d11725f9292e3954497011742'><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Devin Hitchings lives to help others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1848,"featured_media":207004,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hasGravity":false,"cxt_article_byline":"Melissa 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