Hank
We asked the students to write about their heroes and to tell us why they chose that person. Here was Hank’s response:
My hero would be Mrs. Mathis. One of the most open hearted people I have ever known. I say this because she did something that my own family didn’t do. She took me in as her own son after I had been homeless for six years. At the age of thirteen I came from Mexico to help my family, but as soon as I got here to Austin my family decided to not accept me and left me waiting for them at the bus stop. There I stayed waiting for them day after day. Still no sign of them until the seventh day when an uncle’s neighbor recognized me and took me to him. Of course, they didn’t want me there so I was sent to sleep in the back of a truck that night with the stuff I had on and my backpack. I was staying with them for a year. I was treated worse than a dog. I ate, slept, and showered outside. The only thing I could do inside the house was use the restroom.
In the same set of written responses, Hank wrote this about his greatest achievement in life:
My great success in life would be that I am still alive. Since the age of thirteen I was homeless. Now I am nineteen. I can’t believe I was laying under a bridge dying from how cold it was, worrying if there was ever going to be a tomorrow.
We met Hank after Mrs. Mathis took him in and we, like everyone else, will say that the kid has a heart of gold. Students, administrators, and teachers all agree, he’s a great kid. We all wanted to find out more about his journey, so we asked him to sit down with us.
Q: When did you first find out that Mrs. Mathis was thinking about bringing you into her family?
The day I was going to drop out.
Q: What did you think when you found out?
My mind was set on no. Since I was kicked out of my family’s house, I was just thinking that I needed to handle my own business. If my family didn’t want to take me in, why should a complete stranger? You know? You have no idea what they think about you.
Q: When did you first meet with Mrs. Mathis’s family?
We went over there for dinner one night. Me, Ms. Smith (Eastside Social Worker), Mr. Allen (Eastside Social Worker), and his wife. And Mrs. Mathis was there with her husband, her daughter, and her daughter’s two kids.
Q: Were you convinced by the time you got in the car that this might be your future?
Not at all. I still had no in my mind all the way, but Ms. Smith kept trying to convince me. Even when we were driving over there, I was thinking about getting out of the car, crazy stuff, disappearing. I didn’t think it would go like this.
Q: Who were you most scared of meeting?
Mrs. Mathis was already convinced so I was most scared of meeting her daughter. But she busted in during dinner and said “Where is my new brother?”
Q: What did Mr. Mathis say about you joining the family?
He said he wasn’t usually at the house so it didn’t matter. He usually works until eight at night.
Q: So Mrs. Mathis is convinced, Mr. Mathis seems good with it, and Mrs. Mathis’s daughter is already calling you her brother. Done and done or still not convinced?
It took me a while. Like a week. I wasn’t sure. With the experience I had, I didn’t know what to expect. But eventually I told her I was ready to give it a shot and started spending the night there.
Q: How did you tell Mrs. Mathis that you decided to stay there permanently?
I wrote a letter to her and taped it to her door, but her daughter found it and read it first. She just started crying and I woke up because I could hear her. I walked out of my room and she just hugged me and welcomed me to the family.
Q: What did the letter say?
The letter was just saying thank you for letting me stay with you even though we don’t know each other. I knew that my family would be happy with where I am now.
Q: What is it like there? What was the transition like from homelessness to that?
It was my first time having my own room, having my own bed. Having privacy. And it’s a big bed. I remember thinking, “dam, I never thought I’d actually sleep in a bed.” It’s a big change from sleeping on a floor, in a truck, or under a bridge. That first night I just passed out.
Q: We have heard you call Mrs. Mathis mom. What was it like the first time you called her that?
My biological mom was going to have surgery and I was on the phone talking to her and I hung up and I didn’t mean to, but I called Mrs. Mathis mom. I was surprised and nervous but she gave me a hug and said it was ok. Ever since I’ve called her mom. She tells me I’m her son, and she treats me like it too.
Q: How would you describe the person that you were before Mrs. Mathis entered the picture?
Someone that was not worthy of being here.
Q: How would you describe the person that you are now?
Just a better person. She opened my eyes to see that bad times will pass and that even when your family doesn’t have your back, others might.
Q: What do you think your future holds?
My goal is to finish school. Become somebody in life. Show that even people that come from the bottom can end up on top. I want to have a stable career not just a job. I like animals a lot too so maybe a vet. Or a pharmacist.
Q: If you could talk to the person that you were before Mrs. Mathis came into your life, what would you say?
Don’t try to go the easy way because you’ll go down hard. Do it the hard way and you’ll eventually have success.
Q: Last question. Can you describe Mrs. Mathis in a few words?
I don’t think there are words to describe her. Heartfelt I guess. You can make a mistake over and over and she’ll still forgive you for it and be there for you.
During our conversation with Hank it came up that of the five interviewers asking him questions, multiple students experienced homelessness at some point in their lives as well. One of the interviewers tried to provide some consolation by letting Hank know that he was “not alone in that.” Hank’s response was simple and powerful. “It feels different out there though.” How could it not? As a teenager your family seemingly rejects you and turns you away. There are other students at Eastside who have experienced the same thing, kicked out of their own homes searching for a place to find protection. Similar situations that are each uniquely painful.
The National Runaway Safeline provides services to young people in need of immediate help and safety. If a young person is struggling to find a roof over their head, or other basic necessities, the Safeline can help. They can be reached at 1-800-786-2929.
We asked the students to write about their heroes and to tell us why they chose that person. Here was Hank’s response:
My hero would be Mrs. Mathis. One of the most open hearted people I have ever known. I say this because she did something that my own family didn’t do. She took me in as her own son after I had been homeless for six years. At the age of thirteen I came from Mexico to help my family, but as soon as I got here to Austin my family decided to not accept me and left me waiting for them at the bus stop. There I stayed waiting for them day after day. Still no sign of them until the seventh day when an uncle’s neighbor recognized me and took me to him. Of course, they didn’t want me there so I was sent to sleep in the back of a truck that night with the stuff I had on and my backpack. I was staying with them for a year. I was treated worse than a dog. I ate, slept, and showered outside. The only thing I could do inside the house was use the restroom.
In the same set of written responses, Hank wrote this about his greatest achievement in life:
My great success in life would be that I am still alive. Since the age of thirteen I was homeless. Now I am nineteen. I can’t believe I was laying under a bridge dying from how cold it was, worrying if there was ever going to be a tomorrow.
We met Hank after Mrs. Mathis took him in and we, like everyone else, will say that the kid has a heart of gold. Students, administrators, and teachers all agree, he’s a great kid. We all wanted to find out more about his journey, so we asked him to sit down with us.
Q: When did you first find out that Mrs. Mathis was thinking about bringing you into her family?
The day I was going to drop out.
Q: What did you think when you found out?
My mind was set on no. Since I was kicked out of my family’s house, I was just thinking that I needed to handle my own business. If my family didn’t want to take me in, why should a complete stranger? You know? You have no idea what they think about you.
Q: When did you first meet with Mrs. Mathis’s family?
We went over there for dinner one night. Me, Ms. Smith (Eastside Social Worker), Mr. Allen (Eastside Social Worker), and his wife. And Mrs. Mathis was there with her husband, her daughter, and her daughter’s two kids.
Q: Were you convinced by the time you got in the car that this might be your future?
Not at all. I still had no in my mind all the way, but Ms. Smith kept trying to convince me. Even when we were driving over there, I was thinking about getting out of the car, crazy stuff, disappearing. I didn’t think it would go like this.
Q: Who were you most scared of meeting?
Mrs. Mathis was already convinced so I was most scared of meeting her daughter. But she busted in during dinner and said “Where is my new brother?”
Q: What did Mr. Mathis say about you joining the family?
He said he wasn’t usually at the house so it didn’t matter. He usually works until eight at night.
Q: So Mrs. Mathis is convinced, Mr. Mathis seems good with it, and Mrs. Mathis’s daughter is already calling you her brother. Done and done or still not convinced?
It took me a while. Like a week. I wasn’t sure. With the experience I had, I didn’t know what to expect. But eventually I told her I was ready to give it a shot and started spending the night there.
Q: How did you tell Mrs. Mathis that you decided to stay there permanently?
I wrote a letter to her and taped it to her door, but her daughter found it and read it first. She just started crying and I woke up because I could hear her. I walked out of my room and she just hugged me and welcomed me to the family.
Q: What did the letter say?
The letter was just saying thank you for letting me stay with you even though we don’t know each other. I knew that my family would be happy with where I am now.
Q: What is it like there? What was the transition like from homelessness to that?
It was my first time having my own room, having my own bed. Having privacy. And it’s a big bed. I remember thinking, “dam, I never thought I’d actually sleep in a bed.” It’s a big change from sleeping on a floor, in a truck, or under a bridge. That first night I just passed out.
Q: We have heard you call Mrs. Mathis mom. What was it like the first time you called her that?
My biological mom was going to have surgery and I was on the phone talking to her and I hung up and I didn’t mean to, but I called Mrs. Mathis mom. I was surprised and nervous but she gave me a hug and said it was ok. Ever since I’ve called her mom. She tells me I’m her son, and she treats me like it too.
Q: How would you describe the person that you were before Mrs. Mathis entered the picture?
Someone that was not worthy of being here.
Q: How would you describe the person that you are now?
Just a better person. She opened my eyes to see that bad times will pass and that even when your family doesn’t have your back, others might.
Q: What do you think your future holds?
My goal is to finish school. Become somebody in life. Show that even people that come from the bottom can end up on top. I want to have a stable career not just a job. I like animals a lot too so maybe a vet. Or a pharmacist.
Q: If you could talk to the person that you were before Mrs. Mathis came into your life, what would you say?
Don’t try to go the easy way because you’ll go down hard. Do it the hard way and you’ll eventually have success.
Q: Last question. Can you describe Mrs. Mathis in a few words?
I don’t think there are words to describe her. Heartfelt I guess. You can make a mistake over and over and she’ll still forgive you for it and be there for you.
During our conversation with Hank it came up that of the five interviewers asking him questions, multiple students experienced homelessness at some point in their lives as well. One of the interviewers tried to provide some consolation by letting Hank know that he was “not alone in that.” Hank’s response was simple and powerful. “It feels different out there though.” How could it not? As a teenager your family seemingly rejects you and turns you away. There are other students at Eastside who have experienced the same thing, kicked out of their own homes searching for a place to find protection. Similar situations that are each uniquely painful.
The National Runaway Safeline provides services to young people in need of immediate help and safety. If a young person is struggling to find a roof over their head, or other basic necessities, the Safeline can help. They can be reached at 1-800-786-2929.
