“I didn’t have anything to live for. I couldn’t function as a human being,” he said. “My soul had died.”
Danny’s soul wasn’t alone.
Under a bridge nearby lay Kelly Hughes, a retired U.S. Army Sergeant, who served in Kuwait during Operation: Desert Storm. Same “dead soul,” same “dying” story.
Living casualties: Homeless veterans
By Troy Kehoe (tkehoe@wsbt.com)
Story Created: Feb 22, 2010 at 5:55 PM EST
SOUTH BEND — The reality of coming home was much different for many other vets. More than a quarter of a million of them now live without a home every year, and nearly one-third of all homeless Americans served in the armed forces at one time. In the South Bend area, estimates are even higher. One local group is fighting to turn the trend around.
On a bitter cold and snowy February day, Danny Forrest is walking back to his former home to relive a nightmare.
“I had four or five blankets, boots and a coat,” said Forrest. “And I stayed there and slept there. It’s emotional to even be back down here. I can remember crying myself to sleep at night, wondering ‘how did I end up here?'"
The answer begins in 1948 when 23-year-old U.S Army Corporal Danny Forrest entered the military. Two tours in Panama and 10 years of honorable service later, he was discharged. He got a good job earning $18 an hour and bought a house.
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