A Milwaukee man who survived a gunshot wound to the head is on a mission to help the youth and spurn change in his community amid a rise in carjackings.

Kevin Simmons, a volunteer minister driving for Uber, picked up two people from the city’s northwest side after 2 a.m. last fall when gunshots rang out, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“My face is wet,” he recalled thinking to himself.

The passengers drove off with his Jeep Grand Cherokee, which he had bought from his daughter.

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Simmons is still recovering from the gunshot wounds to his head, abdomen and arm. His arm strength has weakened significantly; he has lost feeling in part of his jaw and can no longer hear out of one ear. The violent incident also caused Simmons to have difficulty walking around. He cannot drive himself  any more and refuses to enter an Uber.

Still, Simmons stressed his survival is nothing short of a “miracle.”

“God didn’t save my life just to be sitting in this chair,” he told The Sentinel. “He saved my life for a reason and I have to honor that reason.”

Before the carjacking, Simmons worked in construction, volunteered as an assistant pastor and worked with families impacted by violent crime. Many in the community refer to Simmons as “Minister Kevin.” He was one of many activists who marched from Milwaukee to Washington, D.C., to protest racial inequality and police brutality in 2020.

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In the aftermath of the shooting, he refuses to let his injuries prevent him from helping the people of his city.  He said he will almost certainly referee youth basketball games this summer and speak to youth about the importance of making smart and safe decisions.

“Milwaukee is a tale of two cities,” he said. “You can’t just complain and do nothing.”

A 15-year-old has been charged in the carjacking against Simmons. The teen’s hearing is scheduled for June.

Four hundred fifty people were the victim of carjackings in Milwaukee in 2023, a 16% increase over 2022.

Car jacking, which is when a car is taken by threat or force, is becoming a consistent problem for the police to address. Meanwhile, car thefts have dropped for the third year in a row since their peak in 2021.