Kenneth's Story

“My father was abusive. I learned to box and I got good at it. I got really fast. I had three strokes and I had to get a brain operation in Boston. After one stroke I couldn’t talk for two months. Sometimes I slur when I speak too fast. It was a handicap for me for about a month then I worked on it, reading out loud with my speach therapist, speaking with people, having conversations about anything.The nurses loved me. I was a good guy and respectful. I’ve never been in trouble in California. I have no record at all except for thirty days at county jail because of an argument with my sister.

I had my own painting business and landscape business that went really well. I had plenty of customers within a five mile radius of home and I painted thirteen homes on my street. They would give me their keys and go on vacation and I would take care of their houses and pets while they were away. They needed someone they could trust and that was me.

I was married to my wife for 10 years and she was a hell of a woman. She had a hell of a left hook let me tell ya! She used to hit me when she got home, when she was mad about something. And so I go, is that how you hit me? I used to box, you see. I used to get knocked out by men.

At that time I didn’t have this problem with my knee. I used to work out all the time I had fast hands, I did push ups every single day, sit-ups to straighten my core. I worked at it and it paid off.

I got my own place and told my wife to get a lawyer. I got a divorce. I stayed at a hotel down the street. When we got married I asked her for two rules not to break and she broke one of those rules. …….

I haven’t had a home since 2005 in Gilroy and San Jose. I lived with my sister in San Jose briefly but that became unbearable. One thing I would like to share with everybody is that I never gave up hope. I always prayed to God and I always talked to good friends about what they would do if they were in my situation and they started helping, guiding me to shelters to support systems.

The main problem is funding. My hope is that homeless people with children that are young have a support system and a team of professional social workers that can get a plan together to help the person in need.

I got in two fist fights and I won. I used to box so I know how to handle myself. I don’t like to but I know that I can. I got a good punch.

Home is a safe private place where you can put your belongings safely and you can secure it the way you want to. I have pictures at my sister’s house in a safe.”