By: CA Staff Writer | May 28, 2025
Clarksdale, MS — Deanna Jackson’s journey to graduation has been anything but ordinary. On May 31, 2025, she will proudly walk across the stage as a Clarksdale High School graduate—an accomplishment made even more powerful by the resilience, courage, and determination she has shown over the past year.
On May 25, 2024, Deanna was the victim of a tragic act of gun violence. She was struck on the left side of her face, an experience that changed her life forever. Rather than allowing this moment to define her through pain or fear, Deanna turned her trauma into a powerful testimony—one that has inspired many and demonstrated her extraordinary strength.
Her story of survival earned her the Clarksdale High School Class of 1985 Scholarship, awarded for the best essay on the theme “How Did I Show Perseverance Through Adversity.” Deanna’s essay not only captured the depth of her experience but also reflected her unwavering will to rise above the challenges placed before her. (To read a copy of her essay, see below.)
Her ability to transform personal tragedy into a message of hope and perseverance is a shining example for her peers and the entire Clarksdale community. As she prepares to step into her future, Deanna Jackson carries with her not only academic achievement but a powerful story of courage, growth, and resilience.
The Clarksdale community is proud of Deanna and wishes her continued success as she turns the page to a new chapter—stronger and more determined than ever.
“Perseverance Through Adversity: My Journey After Being Shot“
By: Deanna Jackson
“Life can change in a single moment. For me, that moment came in May 2024 when I was shot in the face. In the split second it took for the bullet to strike, everything I knew about myself, my life, and my future felt uncertain. What followed was a journey through intense physical pain, emotional trauma, and an overwhelming sense of loss. Yet through it all, I made a decision: I would not allow this tragedy to rob me of my education or my future. Instead, I would fight — not just to survive, but to continue excelling academically and personally, no matter how difficult it became.
The first days after the shooting were a blur. I woke up in the hospital, surrounded by machines and doctors, my face bandaged, my mind cloudy with medication and confusion. The physical injuries were severe, but the emotional wounds cut just as deeply. I felt fear, anger, and sadness — emotions that sometimes seemed too heavy to carry. At first, even basic tasks like eating, speaking, or sitting up in bed were monumental challenges. The doctors spoke in cautious tones about the surgeries I would need and the long road of recovery ahead. I’m so grateful I didn’t have to get a metal brace around my face. It would have been easy to give in to despair, to let myself fall into a cycle of self-pity and hopelessness. But I knew I couldn’t do that. I had goals, dreams, and responsibilities that hadn’t disappeared just because my circumstances had changed.
School had always been important to me, and I wasn’t about to let that go. Even from my hospital bed, I asked if I would be healthy enough to go back to school in August. The doctors didn’t know for sure because it takes time for a fractured jaw to heal. My teachers contacted me in complete disbelief about my situation, they were as hurt as everyone else. There were days when I could barely lift my head, but I still found a way to make sure I was on track for graduation. Sometimes, I could only focus for a few minutes at a time before exhaustion would take over. But I celebrated those small victories. Every page read, every assignment completed, every test taken was a reminder that I was still moving forward, no matter how slowly.
Returning home brought a new set of challenges. The world outside the hospital felt overwhelming. ..I was scared of outside people staring at me so weird it made me insecure. I dealt with stares from strangers, uncomfortable questions, and my own fear of being vulnerable. My appearance had changed, and with it, my confidence was shaken. But again, I chose to persevere. I pushed myself to attend school in person when I could in August, even when it meant confronting my insecurities. I learned to ask for help when I needed it — something that wasn’t always easy for me before. I leaned on my family, my friends, and my teachers, all of whom reminded me that I wasn’t alone in this fight.
The shooting also changed the way I approached learning. Before, I saw academic success mostly as a path to a better future — good grades leading to college opportunities and a career. After my injury, education became something even deeper: it was a way to reclaim control over my life. Every assignment completed wasn’t just a checkmark toward graduation; it was an act of resilience, a statement that violence would not dictate who I was or who I would become. Even when healing was slow, and progress felt invisible, I reminded myself daily that perseverance is about continuing even when it feels impossible.
There were setbacks along the way. I experienced days when I felt mentally drained and physically exhausted. Some of my grades dipped temporarily, and there were times when it felt like I was falling behind. But I refused to let those moments define me. Instead, I adapted. I learned new study habits that accommodated my recovery process, like breaking work into smaller, manageable chunks and using audio recordings when reading was too painful. I worked with counselors and teachers to create a plan that allowed me to succeed on my own timeline, without giving up the standards I set for myself.
Throughout this journey, I discovered a strength in myself that I never knew existed. I realized that perseverance is not about being perfect or unaffected; it’s about choosing, every single day, to keep moving forward, even when everything feels stacked against you. Being shot changed my life forever, but it also revealed the kind of person I am: determined, resilient, and unwilling to let adversity steal my future.
Today, as I look ahead, I carry the lessons of this experience with me. I know there will be other hardships in life — challenges I can’t yet predict. But I also know that I have the ability to face them head-on. No obstacle, no matter how severe, can take away my will to succeed. I have already survived one of the hardest battles I could imagine, and I emerged not just alive, but determined to thrive.
In a strange way, the tragedy that could have ended everything instead became the foundation for a stronger, wiser version of myself. My academic journey continues, fueled by a deeper understanding of perseverance and a refusal to be defined by my worst day. I am not a victim; I am a survivor, a student, and a fighter — and I am just getting started.
My career goals in life is to major in Business Administration and Accounting at Mississippi Valley State University , I also have Mississippi Valley State in mind as well. While studying in those majors I plan to be a full time hair stylist which consists of braids, dreadlocks, and wig installations. I want to take online real estate classes as well, with my business degree that will help me become a great real estate agent dealing with sales and money. I don’t plan on living in the Delta once I’m finished with school, I plan on moving to Dale City, Virginia working under real estate.”
