“From birth everything for me is color contrast.  I can see a figure of you, but I can’t see your face.  I can see the shape of your face.

I grew up without a mother.  Step-mothers, every one of ‘em were essentially mean to me.  I never had a mother to bring me up right.  My dad was a partier, drank for forty-eight years.  I’m proud of him now.  He’s been sober for two years.

I knew about these support groups; but I always felt too proud, too good, and wouldn’t accept the fact I was visually impaired.  I went through that stage of why me, blamed God for everything, damned Him every chance I got.  I stayed angry for thirty-eight years.  Life’s too short for anyone to stay angry.

Then I got into this support group and started coming here (Camp Dogwood).  I can let loose and I can be me.  Everybody knows I’m the biggest clown.  I wanna make people laugh…that’s my goal.  You hear me walking around here singing and dancing around.  I finally let my guard down.

Never give up ‘cause I did at one time.  All these years I felt like I had to walk alone.  I was homeless for four and a half years…living under bridges, dumpsters, wherever I could find.  I really wanted to die.  I tried to drown myself in the Atlantic Ocean; that didn’t work.  I sliced my wrists; that didn’t work.  I’ve been stabbed in the back with a butcher knife.  I’ve been beat up by skin heads.  I got run over by a Chevy Tahoe on a four lane highway.  And I’m still walking today for a reason.  What that reason is I haven’t figured out yet, but I’m happy to know I don’t have to walk alone anymore.

I believe in God and God’s got me here for a reason.  I know that I’m not where I need to be as far my relationship with God.  And I know that!  But, I have my own personal relationship with Him.”