David Pirtle grew up in a middle-class family in Champaign, Illinois. He graduated from Parkland College, moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and worked as a restaurant manager for 15 years. But then, everything changed. David developed schizophrenia, a brain disorder that can cause people to see hallucinations and hear voices. Once he began showing symptoms of his illness, David lost his job, and then his home. He began hitchhiking his way across the country, eventually ending up in Washington, D.C.
For nearly two years, David slept on steam grates, park benches—wherever he could avoid getting picked up by the police. He was assaulted five times, mostly by teenagers. They threw rocks at him, beat him with a bat, urinated on him, and even covered him with spray paint— just for living on the street.
Eventually David was caught shoplifting, and his probation officer told him that if he was to avoid jail time, he had to take medication for his schizophrenia and stay in a shelter. Today, David works with the non-profit agency Until We’re Home , which fights for the rights of homeless people in Washington, D.C. Author unknown
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