Vendor Talks about Depression and Homelessness in Cleveland A Tribute to Eugene and Vincent Boyd
By Michael Boyd
I would like write this article as tribute to Eugene and Vincent Boyd, my two deceased brothers. I was told to write a story about things that happen in my life. On July 10th, two days before my birthday, I lost my second brother in less than a year. For someone that reads my article they already know I lost my brother Eugene in August. He became homeless, got depressed, and took his own life. My brother Vincent died from medical reasons on July 10th. July 12th was my birthday, it was a quiet birthday.
Three days later I went to work at the market selling the paper. I had no choice, didn’t want to go, but I needed the money. When you lose somebody it’s sad, but I ran into a teacher who works at Horizon Science Academy named Anne T. Kline. She brought me a sleeping bag, hygiene products and a bus pass. It’s a beautiful thing to see strangers that care so much. One joy to my heart. They say God brings angels in your path when you’re at your lowest and I believe that she was one of them.
I would also like to put in this article the name of a young man that really reads my articles. His name is Brian, he can’t be no older than 16 years old, but he also brings joy to my heart to think that someone even cares, that he would take time out to read something that I have written.
If you would like to brighten someone’s day like Brian brightened mine, you can donate socks, clothes, and other goods to St. Augustine’s, St. Malachi’s, the West Side Catholic Center, and I cannot forget St. Pat’s. I always enjoy telling people where they can go to help out those on the streets, and educating people about life on the streets, through the newspaper because life is harder than you think on the streets. I would know, I lived it!
My step-dad kicked me out of my mom’s house after she passed away and I became homeless. There weren’t any shelters in Cleveland at the time. The only form of shelter were garages with a few cots laying on the ground called sites. You can imagine what it was like when someone would open that garage door in the winter.
I became depressed in those sites and began staying under bridges and in the West Side Market, before they put locks on the door. I got into some bad stuff when I was living out there, but the joy I get from seeing the good people at the West Side Market warms my heart and reminds me that God is always present in my life.
God Bless
Copyright Cleveland Street Chronicle September 2015 in Cleveland Ohio All Rights Reserved