19 Aug Tyree’s Story – Unhoused 4 years
One day, Tyree came to the front porch with a friend and was encouraged to reach out to one of our client coordinators for help getting off the streets. Four years ago Tyree lost everything and was eager to get off the streets.
“When you’re asleep everything is alright, and then you wake up and realize that you have to start all over again.”
Before coming to Catholic Charities Tyree had worked for seven years, as a mobile repairman, earning enough cash to support himself day to day. Tyree didn’t have a bank account and as a result, he lived in a hotel paying the nightly fee in cash. His boss would often pick him up and drop him off occasionally giving him a ride to the store to buy essentials with money he made on the job.
Then, unexpectedly, his boss passed away.
“The money stopped coming in.”
Without an income or transportation, Tyree lost his hotel room and quickly found himself living on the streets. What followed was a difficult journey marked by uncertainty, stress, and the daily struggle to find food and shelter.
“Most people look at you as a nobody! You’re treated like you don’t matter, and I wasn’t treated like that here [Catholic Charities].”
At Catholic Charities, Tyree found support with housing and food, and with the encouragement of his case manager, Tyree began to see a way forward.
One of the most important things Tyree learned during his journey was the importance of not losing hope. Now that he has secured housing and food, he is looking forward to working again, regaining his independence, and focusing on his health. He also shared how the stress of homelessness wreaked havoc on his health and contributed to chronically high blood pressure.
Today, his outlook and his numbers look different.
“I feel awesome!”
One of Tyree’s favorite things about his new home is his washer and dryer. He remembers the days of walking the streets looking for food and shelter, sometimes having to leave his belongings and clothes behind because they were too heavy to carry.
Now, he has a place to call home. He has food. He has hope. Tyree’s story is a reminder that this work is never done alone.
His journey shows what can happen when someone who has lost hope is given the support, dignity, and opportunity to find it again.
*Identities have been changed for privacy. This is a true story based on a client of Catholic Charities of West TN.
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