Being a single RDBer and accustomed to living with my parents, it was not until I started dating that I began to have thoughts of owning a home. I met my future bride, a Texan with Cerebral Palsy, through a dating service and our relationship flourished. After a few years we started to consider being together in a more conventional way, as our relationship was long distance with me living in Indiana and my girlfriend in Texas. Habitat for Humanity seemed like the answer for us.

Any house in my area would need a lot of work to make handicapped accessible and would be too expensive for our budget. Habitat for Humanity builds affordable, quality homes that are handicapped accessible. After filling out the paperwork I waited three months for an interview. At the interview I had to explain our reasoning for wanting a Habitat Home and also had to decide if I would still want the house if something were to happen to our relationship. I was finally at the point in my life where I could answer. "Yes, without my girlfriend I still want to live on my own." Within two months I was accepted into the program.

Instead of monetary promises, Habitat requires "Sweat Equity" volunteer hours to put into getting a house. I had to do 250 hours of work for my home. Usually Habitat requires participants to do work on they own homes. However, since I couldn't do that kind of physical labor, I did office work, took part in fund raising events, and worked on any event with Habitat that would count for the hours. My father and uncle were able to do work on the house and donated these hours toward my quota.

Complications then arose to keep me from receiving my home for several years. While I was second on the list to receive a home, there were other families in greater need of homes than I, and my marriage began to fail, with my wife and I eventually divorcing. During this period I was becoming ill and learned I had Squamous Cell Carcinoma. At times I was worried that I wouldn't get better and that I might lose the house before I even got to enjoy it. While I had to wait longer for the house, I was in fact glad to be able to finish my hours and wait for an available house and I had time to heal and get back on my feet.

On April 7th, 2000, I signed the papers for my house and moved in within two weeks. After living with my parents for 33 years it felt strange to be on my own and I had doubts in my ability to live on my own, but knew it was the right thing to do. I have been on my own for eight months now, and have adjusted quite well. I thought that loneliness might bother me but my cat, Digit, is a friendly companion to have around the house and the comfort of my ability is security enough. The independence is a relief and I'm enjoying having space I was unable to have at my parents' house.

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