Street Sleeper 2 by David Shankbone

CR writes:

Ted Williams has one of those deep, smooth, old-fashioned radio announcer’s voices that you just love to listen to–even if you don’t like the station. But until recently, Ted didn’t have a home and survived, in part, by asking for money at a highway intersection in Columbus, Ohio.

When this video by a Columbia reporter went viral, things changed for Ted, who has been off drugs and alcohol for two years. A piece in the Detroit Free Press just reported that because of this video, he’s been hired by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s going to do voice-over work for Quicken Loans, and they’re giving him a house to live in!

Remember the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness starring Will Smith? It is based on the true story of Chris Gardner, today a millionaire and CEO of his own stockbroking firm. In the 1980s Chris raised his toddler son–while he was homeless. By perseverance and faith in his abilities (as well a solid sense of his own personal dignity), he managed to climb out of homelessness and into a good job, albeit with plenty of heartbreak along the way.

It didn’t hurt that like in Ted William’s case, someone was willing to give him a chance, too. (Chris didn’t abuse drugs or alcohol, however–when he was a child he saw what they did to the adults around him; in fact, he lived for a while in foster care).

A good friend of ours, who we’ll introduce you to down the road, has bi-polar disorder and used to abuse drugs and alcohol. He is also one of the most amazingly deep, spiritual, brilliant, and caring people you’ll ever meet. At one point he was headed to the top of the career-status stratosphere. Today, he is in training for a very basic job. He is also the subject of a documentary that will be coming out within the year. It is such a privilege to get to know someone at all phases of his life, rather than meet him at the so-called “top.”

Perhaps none of these stories are average stories about those who struggle with mental illness, addiction and/or homelessness. Still, there are people who do control symptoms, get treatment and stay clean, get jobs, and if they are homeless, find homes and achieve material, emotional, and spiritual stability. I don’t want to gloss over the very real suffering these people endured–or confuse the differences between them–Chris Gardner for instance, didn’t do drugs or have a mental illness. And I don’t want to pretend that now, everything’s just perfect.

But still, I love hearing about people who rebuild and heal–they remind me to be at the personal top of wherever I’m holding in life.

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    Last reviewed: 5 Jan 2011