Who's who among Rochester's homeless
Wed, Oct 18, 2006

LIVING ON THE EDGE
Most of the people interviewed by Post-Bulletin since February have agreed to have their stories or photographs published. Here are some who've spoken with us, along with a little bit about their lives. Some of their circumstances may have changed, but all were homeless at some point in their lives, and most were homeless at the time they were interviewed.

Kathy Anderson, 55. Wants to explore what kinds of jobs she might like and is interested in the possibilities now that she has an apartment and is no longer homeless. Wishes people would see the good things about her. Feels that her family doesn't realize she's happy the way she is. Never feels truly "homeless" as long as she has a place to call home that's fairly warm, like a tent or shelter in the woods. Lived through the winter outdoors in a forest within the city limits of Rochester. Now has an apartment with her long-time companion, Jeff Paradis, and works as a personal assistant.

Douglas Battey, 44. Born in Rochester. Keeps a positive attitude and smiles a lot. Says he is alcoholic, but signed up for treatment on his own and began going to church with Arlene Simone while both were staying at Dorothy Day Hospitality House.

William Booth, 58. Enjoys making jewelry (if he's still in town, check for his entries at next year's Olmsted County Fair). A legal visitor to the U.S. from Canada. He admits to being long overdue with thousands of dollars of child support for his five children, who are now all adults. Has lost his green card and has been in a court battle because he has nowhere to live and no job. The county attorney's office wants him to get a job by using identification that he possesses, or could get. He claims that would be illegal. Has lived in his car, at Dorothy Day House and with a friend.

William "Billy" Burks, 28. Died in September of oxycodone toxicity after he was interviewed by the Post-Bulletin. When he visited one of his children in another state, he didn't have enough money, so he slept on a playground in a plastic tube normally used by children as play equipment. Said before his death that there weren't enough resources to help people pull themselves up out of poverty.

Ricky Lee Chilson, 51. Fended for himself by living off the land. Was burned when he fell asleep in his makeshift campsite. He connected several cans to make a pipe-like contraption to draw warm air over him from a fire in a coffee can. It caught his shelter on fire. Says he is a veteran. Also has criminal history, including a conviction for failing to register as a sex offender, that a court official said is driven by mental illness. Chilson says he has schizophrenia.

Ronald Erickson, 49. Enjoys repairing bicycles from rescued parts. He gives them to people in need. Worked full-time at a now-closed business called the Trading Post, which sold used household items. He was homeless the entire time he worked there. He spent his money on alcohol, but eventually got sober through Right to Recovery. His wife, Terri, who he met and married on the street, got sober a year after he did.

Terri Erickson, 39. Now that she is no longer homeless, she volunteers at Dorothy Day Hospitality House. Got married while homeless to her husband Ron. They lived outside in various locations until he got sober and, a year later, she also got sober. They now live in a Rochester duplex.

Toscano Garcia, 32. A doting father, who wants to make sure his son eats all his fruits and vegetables. He came to Minnesota from California to stay with his brother in Kasson and get back on his feet. Early in the summer, he sometimes ate at the Salvation Army in Rochester. His son Alexander, 4, was with him. They had a place to stay, with Garcia's brother, but did not have a place of their own.

Rhonda Haert, 33. Wants to be a massage therapist after she gets her GED. Originally from the state of Virginia. Visited her son and daughter in Virginia and was evicted from her apartment in Rochester while there. She was at Labor Ready early in the morning seeking work for the day.

George "Dwayne" Helling, originally from Houston, Texas. Always ready with a smile and willing to try to help others survive. Says his brain "isn't right" because of long-term alcohol consumption and it's difficult for him to sleep at night as a result. He rode a train part way to Rochester, then hitched a ride with a trucker (in exchange for helping him unload the semi). Began hanging out on the streets of Houston at age 12 or 13. Says he has no surviving family. Mother died when he was 12. Father died in 1995. Brother died in a car accident. Recently got an apartment through a new program and has been sober.

Johnny Howze, 57. Originally from Mississippi. Knows how to grow -- and cook -- his own food. Came to Rochester from Chicago. Got a job here within two weeks. But he says his doctor told him he can't work any more because of uncontrollable diabetes and kidney problems.

Kevin Korstad Sr., 38. Skilled tile worker. Has a 12-year-old son, and 14-year-old daughter who do not live with him. He has stayed at Dorothy Day, but generally stays in a camper that doubles as a place to sleep, and as a work trailer. He eats free lunch at Salvation Army when he can.

Renee Larson, 41. Likes to travel and make friends. Broke her back while working as a construction worker during a construction accident. Says she fell 30 feet. Says she later received two large insurance settlements from that and from being a passenger in a car crash in high school that killed one person. But she admits spending the money wildly until she had nothing left, and nowhere to go. Now lives on disability checks she receives because her back is broken with metal rods after the construction accident. Says she arrived in Rochester in a sheriff's car after being told she could either leave town or pay $3,000 to settle a family problem in Mable, where she grew up. She chose Rochester and was brought to the homeless shelter.

Krystal McDonald, 20, came from Utah. Originally from Las Vegas. Is in Rochester with her daughter, Nevaeh, 8 mos., and her daughter's father. Her mother Ronni Dustin, 40, is also with her. McDonald had a job lined up, but it fell through -- along with the apartment that went with it. Their car died on the way back to Utah and they ended up at Dorothy Day Hospitality House, Rochester's shelter for homeless adults and families.

Grant Mitzner, 50. Grew up in Illinois. At a child, at age 6, he was playing catcher in baseball and a 16-year-old boy swung and hit Mitzner in the head with the bat. Lives "on a limited income," and has MinnesotaCare health insurance. Sometimes camps along the Mississippi River, sometimes stays in hotels and has also recently stayed in a Rochester homeless shelter.

Laura Moen, 28. Originally from Byron. A roommate of Rhonda Haert. She was in school at RCTC and had a job with school security while taking classes with a major in law enforcement. She went with Haert to the state of Virginia. She lost her job while in Virginia, she says, because she didn't get back in time for a shift. Earlier this year, she was staying at her father's house while trying to get a job and a place to live. Wants to transfer to classes in Winona.

Kent Olson, 53. Says he spent time removing ordinance from a military base in Hawaii. Sober since July 22, 1993. Had a brief relapse when he was accused of driving a truck involved in a fatal car accident that he says he wasn't involved in, but is sober again. Family history of mental illness. Homeless more than 35 years. He's had concussions while riding horses. He also has a criminal history. He went to jail for delivery of a controlled substance in 1973, but says that turned him away from drugs.

David Otte, 47. Likes living in Rochester. Was homeless in Rochester about a month before getting a place to live through mental health services. Prior to moving to Rochester, he was homeless "half my adult life." Was beaten in California by people who had a habit of picking out homeless people to beat up, he says. He was beaten so severely that his jaw was broken. Another time, he says, he was stabbed and relatives helped him after that. Says he is an Army veteran; based in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., as a private. Struggles continually with issues related to mental illness.

Jeff Paradis, 48. Skilled as an iron worker. Former EMT. Medical issues triggered homelessness and prevent physical jobs. Spent more than two years living in Rochester-area woods, but now has an apartment with his long-time companion, Kathy Anderson.

Donna Prather, 24. Was engaged to William Burks until he died in September. Now lives with her friend, her daughter 5-year-old Alexus Stacy and her son Devin Burks. Says she dropped out of high school when her mom had back surgery, but stayed until second semester of 10th grade. Lived for a time with her mother, Jennifer Prather, who feared she would be evicted. Jennifer says she has a spinal disorder herself and is unable to work. She pays for a small apartment with disability checks.

Dennis "Rudy" Radfan, 48. An affable man who smiles a lot and will strike up a conversation with just about anybody. Has been on the street since age 13. Long-term addiction to alcohol and drugs. Entered Albert Lea drug treatment program in July. Has lived in many locations. Rides trains to get from place to place and fears getting caught by train marshals who, he says, are all federal marshals (meaning you get sent to prison almost automatically if you get caught in a train yard). He has been hurt jumping off trains to avoid getting in trouble on several occasions.

Jesse Robertson, 19. Fascinated by automobiles and body work. Born in Rochester and moved to Winona. Lived in the Twin Cities before coming back to Rochester. Didn't have a place to stay, so he went to Dorothy Day Hospitality House. Kicked out of his apartment after he left a crock pot on for 48 hours and his cousin lost his financial aid for school.

Juan Ruiz, 36. Earlier this year, he had one goal; get back to his son in Texas and let his son know that he is loved. Ruiz was living at Maxwell Guest House. At 5:30 a.m. one day earlier this year, he was at Labor Ready trying to find work for the day. Says he is the only one to have graduated from high school out of eight kids. He's on probation for leaving the state without permission while on parole for a sexual assault.

Arlene Simone, 37. Grew up in Red Wing and has lived in Rochester 15 to 20 years. She focuses on being strong for a nephew, a son and other family members. She has stayed at Dorothy Day House, "on couches" and in the woods.

Has a plate in her cheek because "a drunken meth-man punched me one in the face." Says she used to be "a crackhead."

Has found the Bible and is in a treatment program. She's been convicted of two felonies; check forgery and controlled substance (to get drugs to get high). Had a relapse, but was clean 15 days as of July 31. Got an apartment as part of drug treatment. If she attends one meeting a day, she can stay in the apartment. Began a relationship with Doug Battey this summer. Lives with bipolar disorder.

Gordon Smith, 57. Lives with JoeAnne and Dennis Whipple. Likes to work with his hands. He did not get enough oxygen when he was born and suffered a brain injury. Smith met Whipple at Salvation Army. He was living in a tent on a farmer's land at the time and asked to stay with Whipple. Now he does odd jobs on their land and stays with them in exchange for a place to stay.

Clifta Sutton, 46, Originally from Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Grieves for her husband, a Vietnam veteran, who died. Says she will do whatever it takes to take care of herself and have a place to sleep. Calls herself a drunk. Once fell downstairs drunk and severely injured her face. Also says she experienced domestic violence and had all the bones on the left side of her face broken. She says it's difficult to get along with her family because they're frustrated with her, and she with them. She has slept in a car, at Dorothy Day Hospitality House and at men's homes after going home with them from bars.

Robert Talbott, 32. Originally from St. Louis, Mo. Skilled as a construction worker. Injured his back working for a roofing company. Earlier this year was staying at a friend's place.

Felicia Thompson, 32. She wants a good life for her kids. Came to Rochester from Chicago after being fired from a nursing home with a group of colleagues, all of whom voted to form a union. Her unemployment run out and she used Interfaith Hospitality Network until she got temporary housing through that organization for her and her three daughters. Stayed there until she gave birth to her fourth daughter. Then started volunteering, got a job and her own place to live.

Reggie Thompson, 46. Is no longer homeless and sometimes now volunteers at the homeless shelter in Rochester. Lives in his own apartment in Rochester. Originally from Chicago. Fifteen years in the Army, ending as a staff sergeant. Says he served in Desert Storm twice. Now works as a dietary aid at Rochester Methodist Hospital.

When he first came to Rochester, he stayed at Dorothy Day Hospitality House. Suffered smoke inhalation in a fire and was in a coma afterward for 7 months. Only remembers that he was trying to get out, but can't remember anything else. Diabetic, kidneys gave out. Struggled with alcohol in the past, but got past it.

Tyler Tottingham, 19. A roofer and a dog lover. Stays with a family member or at a friend's house. If he can't get a ride back to Kasson at night, he has stayed at Dorothy Day House, sat in hotel lobbies or sat in the Saint Marys emergency room all night. He was hit by a car at age 5 and says he may have received a head injury. He eats at the Salvation Army in Rochester sometimes.

JoeAnn R. Whipple, 62. Lives in rural Wabasha County and loves living in a country setting. She eats at Salvation Army to save money because her husband Dennis was struck by a falling tree, and she's on disability due to heart attacks. They still have their home, but she worries they might lose it if they can't keep up with bills.