“I Wasn’t Supposed to Live Longer Than Six Months”
“I was born with cerebral palsy. I weighed one pound, three ounces when I was born. I wasn’t supposed to live longer than six months, and I am 47 years of age, and I am truly blessed. I suffered a spinal cord injury the summer of ’98, and that pretty much tells it all.
“I became homeless around 2011 due to infidelity in my marriage. Things didn’t work out. She decided to put me in the street. I had maybe three days of clothing and $15 to my name. That led me to just surviving for myself. My mother – God rest her soul – taught me how to provide for myself. So, that’s what kept me going.
“I slept in cars, at train stations. It was tough. Waking up to somebody standing over you and you don’t know who they are, you’re like ‘Whoa, what the heck is this?’ Then you have to find a spot to lay your head and stay warm at the same time, and then worry about somebody robbing you or possibly doing bodily harm to you. Did I sleep well at night? No. Same thing with living in a shelter. They wake you up at 4:30 in the morning. They put you out at 7:00. I wouldn’t wish none of what I went through on my worst enemy. If my story can inspire people, so be it.”
