Now drug free, man and young family find a home in Jeannette

Having lived in various places, Nate Keisel plans to make Jeannette a permanent home for himself and his family.

“I've lived all over the place,” said Keisel, who was born in Salem, Ohio, and spent time living in Erie, where his dad owns a restaurant.

Keisel has had a long road to Jeannette, which started when he had to drop out of Edinboro University.

“I came from a rough family life. There were quite a few divorces. I went to college and had to drop out, I chose drugs and alcohol over school,” said Keisel.

After leaving school, Keisel went to work in his father's restaurant in Erie, but his drug abuse continued and escalated to intravenous heroin use.

“I eventually got in trouble with the law and they sent me to drug court,” said Keisel.

During his involvement with drug court, in Erie County, Keisel attend three different inpatient programs, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and drug and alcohol counseling.

“I just couldn't get clean and they revoked my probation. The judge told me I was a hopeless case and he had to put me in prison to protect society from me and me from myself,” said Keisel.

Keisel was sentenced to one year in prison and at the end of his sentence, even though he had used no drugs, he still wanted to.

“I thought about what the judge said and thought maybe I am a hopeless case. I sought out the prison minister and he helped me get accepted to Teen Challenge in Cheswick,” said Keisel.

Although called Teen Challenge, the program serves both juveniles, and adults like Keisel, who have drug and alcohol issues.

“At Teen Challenge, I heard the gospel in a way I've never heard it before and Jesus set me free from drugs,” said Keisel.

After release from the program, Keisel went to work for the program for a little over a year when he felt a call to the ministry.

“I had a heart for the addicted and for those suffering from other things. Because of what Jesus did for me, I wanted to do for others,” said Keisel.

In a county plagued with heroin addiction and overdose deaths, Keisel has his work cut out for him. In 2013, a record 92 people in Westmoreland County died of drug overdoses, prompting the county to seat a task force.

According to Coroner Ken Bacha, one-third of those deaths occurred from heroin use.

Eventually Keisel completed his college studies with a degree in social work from CCAC and then pursued a theological degree at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh.

He and his wife, Amber, an occupational therapist, purchased a home in Jeannette while he was in seminary and working at the Murrysville Community Church, part of the Presbyterian Churches in America.

“I've grown to love Jeannette; I have a heart for it. Also one of our other pastors, Kevin Labby was from Jeannette, and at one time we both lived here, but he was called to work in Florida,” said Keisel, who lives in the Arlington neighborhood, but would actually like to live closer to downtown.

Now Keisel is an assistant pastor at the Murrysville Community Church, but would someday love to see a Presbyterian Church in America located in Jeannette.

“I think the more churches you have in a community the better. Although it sounds counter intuitive, there is actually research which shows that adding new churches to a community grows the already established churches,” said Keisel.

Keisel also likes to walk, run and play basketball, but since the couple's daughter, Leah, is only 3 years old, the Keisels mostly walk with her. He also loves to read.

Keisel is an advocate and volunteer for the Jeannette community garden and farm market.

“I support the community garden for three reasons. The garden supplies low-cost fresh vegetables to the community. It could take empty lots that are signs of blight and make them signs of life. And the garden does something for our core the welfare system cannot. It promotes hard work and community involvement,” said Keisel.

To learn more about being free of drugs and alcohol, ministry, or volunteering at the community garden or farm market, get to know neighbor Nate Keisel.

Editor's note: Meet Your Neighbors is a recurring feature in The Jeannette Spirit. If you know of a neighbor with an interesting life story to tell, someone who deserves some recognition for volunteer work, a resident with a special talent or an avid collector who would like to be featured, call the Spirit at 724-838-5154 or send an email to klinden@tribweb.com.

Margie Stanislaw is a contributing writer.