“We met through a dating service. I moved here from Houston to be with her. When our lease was up, we tried asking our landlord to give us another week or two to move all our stuff into storage. But when I stopped by our … Continue reading‘Tell them you have a son who’s lost in Texas’
“I’m thankful there’s a church here that on Thursdays I can sign up to get food. But it’s gotten to a point where you might see me at your local gas station asking for change. I don’t ask for this change for any habit. I … Continue readingHe may be homeless, but he’s not lazy
“I was a pretty shy kid in high school. I didn’t say much because I was afraid if I did, I would be made fun of or ridiculed. So I pretty much kept my thoughts and everything to myself. Making friends was challenging. I had … Continue readingFrom high school to college, his confidence grows
“I grew up in a very dysfunctional family and experienced many different types of abuse through my childhood. I became a teenage bride and mom, only to have the abuse continue. “After a particularly bad incident I wound up in the hospital and was told … Continue readingFollowing abusive start, her life begins anew
“After I earned my associate’s degree in health education, I started an internship at Memorial Hermann. That led to a job in the Trauma Center working under Dr. Red Duke. “There were other firsts and other EMS positions, but in 2004 I became the first … Continue reading‘Failure not an option’ for first female EMS director
“I have this weird autoimmune illness that the doctors have never really been able to figure out. My case has been written up in several medical journals because it’s so strange. “Years of medication and what have you affected my kidneys, and I had another … Continue readingBattling illness, she’s in charge of her own story
“The toughest part about dealing with my autoimmune illness is just the unknown. A lot of people wear those little ribbons and bands to represent what illness they’re dealing with, but I decided on this tattoo. It’s a little bird with the word ‘free.’ I … Continue readingWith autoimmune illness, she lives in the moment
“I’m due in December, 10 days after my birthday. It’s a girl. I had two miscarriages last year, so I’m excited for this one. “The first time, we didn’t know what it was. The second one was a baby boy. I was 16 weeks pregnant, … Continue readingAfter miscarriages, mom confident about pregnancy
“My father passed away in February. We miss him so much. He and my mother were married 55 years. We were all really close. It’s just crazy now that he’s not around. “He had pulmonary fibrosis. He was admitted to the hospital in December, and … Continue reading‘I had my hand on his chest when he died’
“Basically, my whole life revolves around the military. That’s where I feel the most comfortable. When I walk into the VA Hospital, for instance, I know I’m among my brothers and sisters. “So many veterans are dealing with PTSD, homelessness and other issues. When I … Continue readingDoing what he can to help fellow military veterans