The Man of Steel ain’t got nothin’ on Harry K

By John Darr

(Kansas City, KS) Sometimes superheroes don’t wear capes and costumes.

Direct Support Professional (DSP) Harry Keblanyor is a mild-mannered man with the astonishing power to calm people, coupled with unbelievable and EXTREME! time management skills.

Hailing from Cameroon, Africa, Mr. Keblanyor provides supports for individuals with intellectual, developmental and behavioral disabilities 64 hours a week, while pursuing a pharmacy degree – full time. And he is:

• an officer in Kansas City Kansas Community College’s (KCKCC) chapter of Phi Theta Kappa
• Vice President of the Economics Club
• a member of the Student Senate
• a work study student in the chemistry department as lab assistant
• supervisor, every other Saturday, in the Science Academy

And to top it off, Mr. Keblanyor is the young age of 35.

ResCare Kansas City Senior Executive Director Letha Farwell has seen a lot of DSPs in her 22 years in human services, but none with Mr. Keblanyor’s power over the people he serves.

“It is the ultimate calming you could ever know,” Ms. Farwell said. “Nothing unexpected ever happens, just calm.” 

With such a demanding schedule during normal business and school hours, Mr. Keblanyor works for ResCare from midnight until 8 a.m., working 16 and 24 hour shifts on weekends.

“They always worked around my school schedule,” he said. “I don’t have much to complain about. If I have a problem with my schedule or a concern, I’m free to approach my supervisor.”

Mr. Keblanyor originally settled in Pennsylvania and when he stepped off the plane it was the first time he’d ever seen snow. But eventually the cost of living on the East Coast was too high for him and his wife Bridget.

Harry Keblanyor works more than 60 hours a week as a direct support professional while earning a pharmacy degree full-time. “If I’m not working, I’m at school. I’m not in school, I’m working.” And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

They moved to Kansas (coincidentally the same state where Clark Kent was raised) where he and his wife could lead the life they wanted. She is remarkable as well, working full-time for ResCare while pursing a degree in Nursing.

Thanks to a unique perspective, he has made remarkable progress with one consumer who exhibited aggressive behaviors toward other staff.

“If you do something in a way they don’t care for, it’s like you’re pushing them toward a wall and naturally they react,” Mr. Keblanyor said.

For those who are considering work as a DSP, he said “It depends on what you want from ResCare. Some agencies may pay you more money, but when you are here it’s like you’re in your own house.”

There may be opportunity for Mr. Keblanyor with ResCare’s Pharmacy Alternatives operations when he gets his degree in four years, but he says once he gets enough experience he’ll move back to Cameroon and start a pharmacy school.

“We have nothing like this there,” he said. “There is a great need for this kind of teaching.”

Truly, Mr. Keblanyor was sent here with the power and commitment to do good.

“You just can’t say enough about Harry,” Ms. Farwell said. “He’s been amazing from the first day we met him.”