“You built me a castle.”
James was living in Florida when COVID hit and he lost the ability to keep a roof over his head. His mother had passed away the year before, and without any nearby friends or family, he moved back to his home city of Detroit to stay with a friend. However, just a week later, his friend decided the lockdown and stay-at-home mandates were too difficult and left town, leaving James to continue his search for a stable home.
“That was the start of searching for places to stay where I didn’t have to walk or move through quickly enough to avoid being noticed,” James shared. “Nobody wants to see you standing around in front of their place. I learned how to move quick.” Like many experiencing homelessness, the fear of being kicked out or arrested constantly loomed while stopping to rest or sit down.
Attempts to stay with a girlfriend in Detroit and later with his aunt in Tennessee proved unsuccessful, leaving James uncertain what he was trying to accomplish or how to move forward. As someone who deeply values perseverance, he couldn’t accept the idea of getting on disability and living in an unfamiliar apartment complex surrounded by strangers. He felt stuck.
For six months, he lived in an abandoned building in Johnson City, Tennessee, dealing with the new thoughts and feelings that emerged from his mother’s passing.
“I still thought I had some progression in my life,” he expressed. “When my mother passed away, it felt as if she released these things she was holding onto. I was fortunate enough to gain a lot of knowledge from that.”
Seeking change, James decided to keep traveling and pursue sobriety, enrolling in a year-long rehab program in Brevard, NC. However, the program wasn’t what he expected, and the challenges overwhelmed him. He ended up homeless on the streets of Brevard, using alcohol to cope. Four days later, James was arrested and jailed for a month before the city decided he’d be better off elsewhere. The city drove him to Asheville, leaving him at the airport with two things: $5 and a short piece of advice,
“Find 19 North Ann and you’ll be okay.” The address of the AHOPE Day Center.
James spent the $5 on Dunkin’ Donuts and coffee before making his way toward AHOPE. He stopped along the way on Tunnel Road at the former Ramada Inn to ask for food, shelter, and resources.
“When you’re homeless and land in a new area,” he said, “you ask, ‘What does everybody do? Where does everybody go?’ You find out where all the resources are.”
It was the end of 2020, marking the start of another chapter in another new city. This time, James was on his way toward a real place he could call home.
Once he secured his North Carolina ID, James was approved for Permanent Supportive Housing. His perseverance finally paid off when he became one of the first residents of Compass Point Village in October 2023.
Over a year later, James has embraced the opportunity to grow, build a family, and learn how to communicate. His empathy and understanding of others is abundantly clear to anyone who knows him. When another resident had a tough day, James gathered a few dollars to buy him a milkshake from Cookout. When his case manager, Abby, took time off to handle personal matters, he expressed hope that things would work out for her. James says he’s someone who’ll give up to half of what he has to make anyone’s situation better. Sometimes, he jokes, he gives too much—whether it’s the last of his sugar or his patience.
He’s also learned to take the time to care for himself and not dwell on difficult situations. He enjoys staying busy, listening to music, and collecting interesting items with stories behind them, including a river stone with a face-shaped surface he found at Compass Point Village. When he saw the face from his window, he said “I’m going to give that guy a home!”
When asked about the future, James says, “I want to maintain my home, my family, and my friends who live here. I want this place to be okay. For us to be all alright. You built me a castle and it runs itself. We’re still going to be as taken care of tomorrow as we are today.”
