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In an interview with The 74, Damien Fox described working demanding nursing assistant shifts while attending high school, often missing social and family events and sleeping only a few hours. He graduated at the top of his class, later failed a registered nursing program by less than half a point, and eventually earned his RN degree in 2025. Fox says he does not regret pushing himself, but advises students to make room for important moments and avoid burnout.
Damien Fox, who began nursing assistant training at 15 and worked two jobs while attending high school, says the schedule cost him sleep and time with friends and family. In an account published by The 74 on October 27, 2026, Fox also described later failing a registered nursing program by less than half a point before returning to school and earning his RN degree in 2025.
Fox attended a vocational high school and started training to become a certified nursing assistant at 15; students in the program earned certification the following year, according to The 74. Alongside school, he took two nursing assistant jobs, one full-time and another per-diem. He said he typically worked weekday shifts from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. and often worked one evening shift followed by an overnight shift on weekends.
The hours left little room for rest or social activities. Fox told The 74 that he missed family day trips and events such as baby showers and prom, and that he felt left out when friends spent time together. After work, he studied or finished homework, sometimes sleeping only a few hours before getting up at 5 a.m. to catch a bus for a trip to school that took more than an hour and a half. He said fatigue led him to miss some assignments and, on some days, school.
Fox said he maintained high honors and graduated at the top of his high school class. But after beginning a four-year registered nursing degree at Worcester State University, he struggled academically and failed the program by less than half a point, according to his account. He later enrolled at a local community college, trained as a licensed practical nurse and worked nursing contracts, including in an intensive care unit. Fox eventually returned to a registered nursing program and graduated in 2025. The report says he was promoted to director of nursing in July and had recently enrolled in another nursing program; it does not specify the year of the July promotion.
The Cost of an Accelerated Start
Fox’s account shows the trade-offs he says came with trying to move quickly toward a healthcare career: early work experience and strong high school grades, but also lost sleep, missed schoolwork and fewer social and family experiences. His story also complicates a simple success narrative. Despite graduating at the top of his class, he later experienced a major academic setback when the pace and workload became difficult to sustain.
His experience is an individual account, not evidence that all students who work while in school face the same outcomes. But it offers a specific example of how the demands of employment, long commutes and schoolwork can accumulate. Fox’s advice is not to abandon ambition; he says students should avoid pushing themselves to a point where they cannot function and should protect time for meaningful events.
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From CNA Training to RN Graduation
Fox connected his drive to advice from his father, who left high school, later earned a GED and pursued a career in engineering. Fox recalled his father telling him that “if you want to be successful, no one holds your hand.” He said he took that message as a reason to keep working toward his future, even when the routine was exhausting.
In high school, Fox said he treated school as manageable by focusing during lessons and using flashcards in his free time. He described work as the harder challenge and said he felt he had little room to make mistakes. At university, however, he said his grades slipped and he became burned out while trying to move too quickly through an accelerated path. After the setback, practical nursing study and clinical work preceded his return to an RN program.
““I missed some assignments. There were some days I missed school just because I was too tired, but I got through.””
— Damien Fox, speaking to The 74
Details Not Provided in the Account
The report is based on Fox’s personal account and does not provide independent records of his work schedules, grades or program results. It does not identify the exact dates of his high school attendance, his initial university enrollment or his return to an RN program, nor does it specify the year of the July promotion. The account also does not describe his current nursing program or provide comment from his schools or employers. Those details are not established in the source material.
Fox’s Continued Nursing Studies
According to The 74, Fox had recently enrolled in another nursing program after graduating as a registered nurse in 2025 and taking a director of nursing role. The report does not name the program, set out a completion timeline or describe a further career milestone. Fox’s immediate message to students is to keep pursuing their goals while making time for events they may not be able to repeat.
Key Questions
What happened to Damien Fox during high school?
Fox attended a vocational high school, trained as a nursing assistant and worked two nursing assistant jobs. He said the schedule led him to miss social and family events, lose sleep and, at times, miss assignments or school.
Did Fox graduate from high school?
Yes. According to his account in The 74, he graduated at the top of his class and maintained high honors.
Why did Fox leave his first registered nursing program?
Fox said he failed the four-year program at Worcester State University by less than half a point. He attributed the result to slipping grades and burnout after moving too quickly through his studies.
Did Fox later earn his registered nursing degree?
Yes. After studying to become a licensed practical nurse and gaining work experience, Fox returned to a registered nursing program and graduated in 2025, according to The 74.
What advice does Fox give students?
Fox says students can work hard toward their goals but should avoid pushing themselves to the point of exhaustion. He specifically urges them to make time for events such as prom, graduations, birthdays and baby showers.
Source: the74million.org
