- [Cameraman] Melissa, you're homeless in Traverse City.
Tell me about it.
- Well, I wouldn't be so homeless
if my partner would respect everything I've done
for her as well as for others.
Trying my hardest to be the best person I could be.
I was a crackhead a long time ago,
I became clean and sober
and was shown my past through the gods,
He showed me everything I'd done,
the ignorant shit that I was
and I became a better person and a better human being
that I thought would be the perspective way of life
to be judged by one and treated with disrespect and mean.
I work with these kids.
I want these kids out here to know
even though they have no one other than the food pantries
and all these other people that are helping them
that there is somebody other than them helping them
on the outside whether than just on the in.
It gives me the greatest gift in the world
to give what I have that the Lord has given me
and to be judged by one person.
I tried doing artwork to take the ignorance
out of my head that she was putting in there
and it just didn't work.
She'd judge me for every piece of art I'd done.
Everything I'd done.
I did her yard work, I did her housework,
but everything, I'd never done enough.
I drove her car, she said I could drive it,
but then when I wanted to drive to go fishing
or do other things, she told me
I had to pay her house insurance and her car insurance
just to drive her vehicle.
I took a shower, I broke her pipes,
she said I couldn't shower there because I broke her pipes.
I took a shit, I break her pipes,
and so I don't take it there anymore.
I came to Central.
Everything she said made me go and do the things.
Well, it makes me feel bad,
a person told me I wasn't worthy.
Well, I know I am.
I know I am.
I've done so much for other people,
I know I've done so much wrong,
and I'm trying to make up for the things I've done.
But you know what?
God loves all of us regardless of our pasts
as long as we have Him in our heart.
- [Cameraman] Where are you sleeping tonight?
- Tonight? Probably at Sand Lakes.
I don't know, it's up in the air.
I'm scared.
I'm afraid to be out here alone.
- [Cameraman] What's Sand Lakes?
- It's a lake, it's up past 72 toward Kalkaska.
- [Cameraman] So you're gonna camp outside?
- Yeah, yeah, I've got nowhere else to go.
I got no family, all my family's gone.
She was the only one I cared about and truly respected.
Hell, I'd go to the casino and win 1,300
and give her half of it just to be told
I can't even get a Christmas present under a tree.
I didn't deserve it.
- [Cameraman] How do you survive?
- Any way I can.
Fishing, helping these kids.
I love helping these kids.
At least they give me a pat on the back
and tell me that I'm loved.
That's all I ever wanted was someone
to tell me that I was worthy.
- [Cameraman] If you had three wishes,
what would they be?
- If I had three wishes?
That these kids would get a home and get off the streets.
That they'd have a happy life.
And that Teresa would become more worthy of God and believe.
That's all I ever asked.
For me, I don't ask for anything
because I know what I've got coming.
- [Cameraman] Well thank you very much for talking to me.
- Thank you.
(light music)