Nick Perakis was born and raised in Oak Lawn, IL. Since he was young, he dreamed of owning his own restaurant.
“To put myself through college, I got a job at a steakhouse in Oak Lawn. I worked in many roles while I was there, including as a server, host, bartender and manager,” he explained. “When that restaurant closed, my wife Jacki and I decided to open our own restaurant in that building.”
Jacki was his biggest supporter, and Rockefeller’s opened its doors in December 2021 – in the height of the COVID pandemic.
“Owning a restaurant wasn’t necessarily what I envisioned,” admitted Jacki. “But his dream is also my dream. We had a few rough patches when I was growing up, and I’ve always wanted to be able to give back to the services that supported our family when we were in need.”
Being involved in the community has always been important to Nick and Jacki.
“Nick grew up here and played sports. He’s part of alumni groups. He has lots of friends and contacts,” said Jacki. “And we support various causes that benefit the community.”
So, when cancer began affecting – and taking – the lives of their family members and friends, it was only natural that Nick and Jacki wanted to help in any way they could.
“Our 12-year-old niece was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia when she was just a toddler,” explained Jacki. “She had several years of treatment at Advocate Children’s Hospital – Oak Lawn. It really changed the way we think; we realized life is short. Fortunately, she’s thriving today.”
In August 2017, Nick’s father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
“He was treated at Advocate Christ Medical Center and was only with us for a few months after his diagnosis,” said Jacki. “It’s scary how quickly pancreatic cancer can take someone from you. It’s a silent killer. By the time you experience symptoms, it’s too late.”
Then, two years ago, one of their best friends was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He also passed away just a few months after his cancer was detected.
“We wanted to do something to help other families dealing with pancreatic cancer, so we decided to host a fundraiser for pancreatic cancer research at our restaurant,” added Nick. “We chose to donate proceeds to Advocate Christ since that’s where our family received care, and it was important to us that the funds stay local.”
Their inaugural pancreatic cancer research fundraiser was held last year and raised $13,000. This year’s event will be held May 17, and Nick and Jacki are hoping for an even bigger turnout.
“Our goal is to double our donation this year,” said Nick. “There are so many families in our community and beyond that are affected by cancer. We hope that by supporting pancreatic cancer research, we can help find answers that lead to prevention, earlier detection and more advanced treatments.”
How you can help
Tickets are now available for the second annual pancreatic cancer fundraiser at Rockefeller’s in Oak Lawn. Learn more. You can also support a program or hospital in your community by making a gift online.