Bruno
I consider myself a self-reliant 40-something, and I have learned to check hopelessness at the door. My name is Bruno, and my life has been kinda tough, mainly from a combination of devastating losses that left me medically incapable of holding a job or an apartment. I needed help badly—mentally and physically. But I needed mental help first, before I could get the physical help ... It’s terrible being homeless. No money, no place to go. It’s like you’re not a human being anymore. It makes you feel like ‘What else bad can happen?’ But I didn’t lose hope. I knew God was testing me and I planned on passing that test. I knew that things couldn’t continue this way forever.

I found that my saving grace was the local drop-in-center, “I came here so I could take care of my basic needs. I had lost all of my paperwork—social security, birth certificate—wallet was gone, because someone pick-pocketed me. However, this location could not accommodate people to spend the night, so I had to head back to the subway to sleep. I was just embarrassed. I never thought it would happen to me. It’s a sad situation, it’s pathetic. I hung in there; I survived the best way I could by myself. It’s the process of survival. The system, it doesn’t help you. Sometimes it works against you because you need so much identification! However difficult it has been for me these past few months, I have never been alone in my struggle to reestablish myself and live a normal life. My caseworker from Care for the Homeless, Carmine Curzio, has worked with me for over two years.

Carmine himself remembers, “When I first worked with Bruno he was in a decomposed state. Apparently, he had no taken medications for quite some time. I engaged him, and was able to get him to see Dr. Kanofsky, and he began a trial of lithium and resperidal. One of the problems we encountered is that Bruno had no benefits and no identification, which I helped him to obtain. I was also able to help get him stabilized on medications so he was able to interview for supportive housing. He was accepted into Safe Haven, where he still is.”

Until I was able to receive a meager income from PA, Carmine was able to obtain a clothing allowance from Care for the Homeless and took me shopping for the clothing that I really needed. We both are optimistic about my future and recognize that the steps taken can be painful, but are necessary. I want the public to know that people should treat the homeless with respect, and be happy they’re not in the same situation. I never thought it could happen to me. It could happen to anybody. But it’s not like there isn’t any hope. I can’t wait to get back into independent living—you know back into the mainstream– paying my rent, doing laundry, things like that. That would make me feel better.

See other stories at "Homeless Voices."