Family/Living Situation: Tyreese C. Nicholson is a 22 year old, Black male, and father of one child, Tyreese Jr. Tyreese met his child’s mother in high school. They have maintained a long-term relationship and are engaged to be married. He also co-parents his fiancé’s daughter from another relationship.
Born and raised until around age 6 in Chicago, Tyreese and his family moved to Milwaukee around 1998. He has six siblings; two older and four younger. Tyreese’s mother married shortly after the family arrived in Milwaukee. Tyreese has a decent relationship with his stepfather, but also maintains a cordial relationship with his biological father, who resides in Chicago.
Both in Chicago and Milwaukee, Tyreese’s reports consistently challenging environments. He has witnessed violent fights, drug dealing and addicts in his neighborhoods. He shared that he also witnessed a…show more content… has endured many challenges in his very young life. Born seven weeks premature, Tyreese Jr. remained the neonatal intensive care unit for two weeks. At nearly 12-months old, Tyreese Jr. was seen in the emergency room for a number of symptoms, including fever and an enlarged/swollen area of his abdomen. The baby was discharged, but the hospital ordered an ultrasound. The scan found a cancerous tumor on the baby’s kidney. After several weeks, the hospital surgically removed the tumor and began to administer outpatient chemotherapy treatments for six months. Tyreese, Jr. appears healthy today; living with one kidney, off chemotherapy, and meeting physical growth milestones. He is struggling, however, is some developmental areas and the family is working with professionals to attend to those issues. Tyreese, Sr. admits that he, his fiancé and their respective families struggled – and continue to struggle – to meet the financial responsibilities of meeting the child’s basic and medical
