The Stories
Technical Engineer - Karl
The Guy Next Door
Karl used to be someone's next-door neighbor, an educated family man who had it all. He studied business management in college, and military service prepared him for a career in information technology. Karl met his wife while he was stationed at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. The couple moved to a Washington, D.C. suburb, where they shared a comfortable life, raised two kids and owned a nice home. Karl worked for the same company for 15 years and was promoted to network operations manager, overseeing a staff of 40.
But Karl’s personal life and career deteriorated in 2000 when his marriage of 15 years failed and his job was outsourced. He moved from the family home to an apartment and worked three jobs while trying to resurrect his career. Depressed, Karl started abusing alcohol. He lost his apartment and began living in his pick-up truck. With nowhere to go and remembering better times in Florida, he headed south to escape his problems.
Homeless in the Tampa Bay Area
With his family life and career lost, Karl attempted to make a new start in the Tampa Bay area. But chronic depression and alcoholism impaired his ability to function in society. When his money ran out, he purchased a tent, found a place in the woods and lived there for a year and a half. He worked in labor pools during the day and read Tom Clancy and Stephen King novels by flashlight at night.
Karl's life temporarily took a turn for the better when a day labor job became permanent. He moved to Brandon and secured an apartment with the money he was making installing heating and air conditioning systems. With a roof over his head and a source of income, Karl began to get his life back on track. But when the construction industry slowed down, he was once again out of a job.
Forced from his apartment, Karl lived in a series of motels until one fateful night when he was robbed and brutally beaten. He regained consciousness in the intensive care unit and, having no memory of the attack, discovered that he had been stabbed multiple times and that his teeth had been knocked out. His truck, wallet and ID were gone. After more than four months in the hospital, Karl was transferred to a rehab facility. But in a weak moment, he went out for a drink and fell back into life on the streets. Drinking heavily to dull the physical and emotional scars left from his ordeal, he lost the will to live and cut his wrists.
Life Now
It's been a few months since Karl's suicide attempt and a year since his attack. Still dealing with the physical injuries and emotional pain of his situation, it's hard to believe this broken man was once an involved dad and a working professional. Karl is living in a shelter, where he shares a house with nine other men who are struggling with similar demons. His days are filled with addiction counseling sessions and doctors' appointments.
The Future
Karl wants to reenter society, find gainful employment and secure permanent housing. Above all else, he wants to stay sober. He knows that alcohol addiction is a lifelong battle. He also knows, from experience, just how hard it is to survive on minimum wage and that regaining the life he once had will take a monumental effort. Despite these barriers, Karl has begun to once again piece his life back together, and with hard work and the help of others, his success is possible.
