Glen's Story

In early December, my mom and I were driving along Central Park when I noticed a man on the side of the street, traveling with a shopping cart. He was collecting empty beer bottles from the recycling bins. I approached him, discussed the project I was working on, and offered if he would be interested in participating. He agreed. He stated, “Well, I’m an alcoholic!” as he held up a beer bottle in his hand. “I don’t tell many people my story. I don’t feel comfortable talking about it”. I said, not a problem! You can share as much or as little as you’d like. He vocalized that he appreciated my compassion and kindness towards him. I was fortunate enough to capture his beautiful smile in such a quick moment. From first impressions, he was extremely friendly, honest and sincere. After chatting for a few minutes, we said our goodbyes. As I was getting back into the car, I noticed he was walking back towards the car. I figured maybe something was wrong. He stated “You know what, you are a really good person. I’m going to tell you my story.” With tears in his eyes, he told me his story. With his permission, I am allowed to share you his story. As a child, he was groomed by his father. He could never fully cope from the trauma. This caused him to turn to alcohol in order to cope. This issue lead him to homelessness.

His story deeply affected me and is one of the main reasons I’m doing what I’m doing. From chatting with him, I can tell you he has a heart of gold. I could just see it in his eyes. He deserves to be heard. He deserves a voice. Soon enough, I hope to meet him again.