Amy X. - A Pandemic Story

This interviewee wanted to remain anonymous, so the name "Amy X." is used as a replacement for her privacy :)

Amy X. is an older woman currently experiencing homelessness. Her first words to me during our interview were: "I'm surprised to be here. This is the last place that I would've thought that I would end up." This is understandable, as she grew up in a nice family and had a career in senior management for quite some time that "made very good money." Amy shared that she had her own houses & lived outside of the country for some time as well. She stated that before homelessness she "was doing very well."

Unfortunately, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Amy was out of work & suffered a severe head injury. She was hospitalized for several months, and even though she had a good amount of money set aside, she went bankrupt due to medical bills. After she was dispatched from the hospital, she was put in assisted living for a little while. However, she wanted to get out of there immediately because she believed that she "was completely capable of taking care of [herself]."

After she left the assisted living home, she visited a Catholic Diocese that placed her in a motel for some time while she figured out where she was going to stay. Amy then moved into a house for a few weeks, however, she was not able to sustain it due to her financial troubles.

Continue reading Arielle Zappia's full article on Project Why's Website to see how her story intersects with Grandma’s House of Hope.