A nurse and single mother from South Side Chicago received life-changing news on Wednesday, thanks in part to her bank's generous contribution. Jasmin Ford, 30, is the first in her family to attend college. Per ABC 7 Chicago, Brown works six days a week between two jobs, and she has $150,000 in student loan debt thanks to nursing school.
Despite working nearly every day, Ford thought she would never be able to pay off the deficit. "There are times when I fall short, and I have to reduce my payment amounts, so there's really not a timeline that I can necessarily see," Ford told the news station. After graduating with her bachelor's degree in 2011, Ford received her master's in 2015, according to Yahoo. The cost of schooling was so intense she applied for student loans to make ends meet. "I just knew this was going to be a part of my life as long as I was alive unless there was some significant change, which -- wow," she said of her loans. In spite of her fiscal undertaking, Ford remained humbled in her pursuit of helping others, writes News and Tribune. "Gratitude is what gets me through," Ford said. "I mean becoming a nurse and being able to serve in the field that I'm in, is the greatest honor of my life, second to having my child." Inspired by her determination and grit, Ford's bank, Fifth Third Bank, decided to relieve all of the financial burden off Ford. She was told the financial institution would be interviewing her for a promotional video. Mike Crawford, a bank employee, told her the good news at her home. "Fifth Third is paying off all of your student loans today," Crawford said to Ford.
After fighting back tears of joy, Ford described what she plans to do with her newfound financial freedom. For starters, she is going to start a college fund for her 1-year-old son Caleb. "I can save for your college," she said to him. "You won't be like me; you won't have any debt." Yahoo also notes that by not having to work as much, Ford has more time to spend with her loved ones. "I just imagine being able to spend more time physically with my family, not having to hustle, having mental freedom and with that, some spiritual freedom," she conveyed. "I can open myself to more experiences, opportunities and just be able to sit and be with my thoughts and be able to pursue what it is I came to do."