Homelessness in Fort Collins

I recently had the opportunity to explore the issue of homelessness in Fort Collins. I sat down and listened to the stories and struggles of three homeless people. On several occasions tears would fill the eyes of these individuals as they described the hardships they face on a daily basis.

In the few hours I spent with each one of them, their lives impacted me greatly.

For the first time I was able to hear why and how these individuals became homeless. They showed me their scars and described how the cold nights and scarcity of food had attacked their immune system. I saw the shanty, cardboard hideaways that many call home.

An epileptic man named Tony “Too Tall” Neighbors had me shed tears as he held my hand in the painful presence of a silencing seizure. He clinched his eyes tight and for 30 seconds his body trembled—no noise, just an occasional wince.

As his body returned to a normal state he looked at me, and with tears running down his face he said, “See, just like that. Sometimes I can’t even sleep because I start twitching.”

This experience put a face on the issue of homelessness for me. Spending time to talk with these individuals gave me glimpse into the harsh environments that they are forced to live in.

To learn more about the issue of homelessness in Fort Collins and read the profiles of Tony “Too Tall” Neighbors and others like him, check out fortcollinshomeless.blogspot.com