Real Stories: Meet Billy

by Mark Horvath · 2009-05-25 05:40:00 UTC
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For the last several months, I would see a homeless man cruising the streets of Hollywood with his bicycle and attached trailer. I would try to catch up to him, but as luck and Los Angeles traffic would have it, I never did. One night recently I went for a walk and, low and behold, there he was. I introduced myself, shook his hand, and asked if he'd wait for me to run home and get my camera.

Meet Billy. He says he is homeless by choice because he does not want to impose on relatives. Although he is disabled and is not required to work, he still wants to work. He said, "I cannot walk very far, but I can peddle my legs." Every morning he sweeps the sidewalk outside a 7/11 as therapy and, I believe, to have a purpose. Billy is very proud of his clean sidewalk.

Billy from invisiblepeople.tv on Vimeo.

Mark Horvath is an activist for the homeless. He vlogs at invisiblepeople.tv and blogs at hardlynormal.com. He was formerly homeless in Hollywood.
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