DARREN

PHOTO BY RANDY BACON

DARREN’S STORY

I’m from San Bernardino, California. Growing up, I was always that smart nerd. I graduated from high school and then got maried a bit after that. When I got married I was with her for ten or eleven years. My wife kept running around though, so we separated. It put me in a depression because she kept the kids from me. Then I met this young girl and, of course, I fell for this one, so we got together and had two kids together. A boy and another daughter. We had a pretty life, but she kept wanting to run too, just like my first wife. She had a boyfriend, another love from school. You know, it didn't work out.

Unfortunately, I struggled and went to prison back and forth for doing some illegal stuff. When I got out and straightened up, I got my baby back and started a cell phone store business and a trailer business. I was a maintenance man at a trailer port. I did everything they wanted me to do, but a stroke of bad luck between me and the law caused me to lose my daughter to my mom. My son was already with my mom; I couldn't break the family back apart, so I didn't try to take them from her. I knew it was best.

Being an ex felon, I ended up working a minimum wage job and still trying to support my kids. I also had to let my businesses go. I lost a lot of money and ended up homeless. I was homeless for several years in a couple of states. My sister is also homeless, so I made it my priority to help her; get her off the street. Well, it's my baby sister. Gotta keep her safe, you know? She got in with some wrong people and it really messed up her mind and a bunch of other people. I had a little power, so I kind of used it and I came here for her. I made sure, no one was messing with my sister.

The hardest thing about being homeless is seeing other families. They’re still together and my family is not. This is very hard on me. But, no matter what, we all need to live life to the fullest. And how do you do this? Challenge yourself. Don’t only challenge the world, challenge yourself and the decisions that you make. Because there's always room for improvement. Always. Today I have a dirty beard and a dusty face. I challenge myself to have a clean one in an hour. Do you want a girlfriend? Do you want people to stop looking at you, calling you nasty? Challenge yourself.

When people see me, I want them to treat me how they would like to be treated. If they treat me how they wanna be treated, they got everything in the world. They have their own self respect, respect for others, loyalty, and honesty. Those are the three keys in life: be respectful, be honest, and be loyal. And God will provide for you. I ain't had a penny in my pocket in these last six years and won't put money in my pocket. I don't worry about my food no more and I don't worry about my drink no more. God is providing.