Profile of participant:
Name: Ed King
Age: 61
Time spent homeless: 8 years
Time in weather amnesty program: 3 years
Employment status: Unemployed
Blind in left eye, needs surgery to correct
Previously Vietnam veteran & in uniform business
Date of Observation: March 2, 2017
Location: Kraz Weather Amnesty Building
Type of Observation: User + Interactive Interview
Themes
- Mental health & health led to homelessness
Ed went through a devastating divorce and had to quit his job to enter inpatient psychiatric services. He struggled to re-enter the job market afterwards. He cannot see out of his left eye and has difficulty walking, which makes it difficult for him to find work. He needs surgery on his left eye, but does not currently have insurance that will cover it.
2. Gave up looking for work
Ed is blind in one eye and has difficulty walking. This has deterred him from job-searching, and instead he spends his time drinking on the corner.
3. Desire for Independence
Ed went through the Center for the Homeless programming, but does not want to return because he felt they interfered with his personal life too much.
4. Isolation from family
Ed’s journey into homelessness was catalyzed by a devastating divorce. His wife left him, taking the kids, home, and money. She completely shut him out of their lives, so Ed has no family in his life right now. Missing his children left him depressed and with few people to turn to.
Memorable Quotes:
“I wish I could put family at the top, but they’re not in the picture anymore.”
“The only thing I had was my dog and my house, but she ended up taking that too.”
“I’m 62 years old. I just gotta stick it out for 2 more years until I retire.”
“Good days are all the same. I have a couple beers a day. I never drank before, but now I’m drinking a lot more than I used to cause that’s what keeps it coherent. I don’t even know what would make a bad day anymore. They’re all bad.“
