New Portland resident Daniel H. came here on a whim six months ago.
“I’ve gone wherever the wind blows me. I crave adventure. I have a passion for experiences,” he said.
His drive, passion and grit launched him from humble beginnings.
“As a child, what saved me as I was growing up on the streets was losing myself in books about adventure. I love reading. ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,’ ‘Treasure Island’ – those were the stories that kept me safe,” he said.
On and off the streets since he was 12, Daniel explained in his light Southern drawl that he was not affluent himself but was always surrounded by affluence. He saw that as the ultimate target and worked hard to make it through college.
“I thought I had a full ride for wrestling, but I got injured. So I tried the Army, but they rejected me. Then I joined the Peace Corps and did two years in northern Sudan and got some money for school. And then I went into AmeriCorps and got more money for college and finished with two degrees from Southern Florida.”
After college, he worked a variety of jobs in nonprofits, eventually transitioning to the private sector. The former growth strategist had a previous career advising companies on marketing strategies that use analytics to predict sales and behavior. His drive and passion translated into financial success but also led to his first heart attack five years ago, at the age of 34.
“That was a humbling experience. I had a 100% blockage – what doctors call a ‘widow maker.’ I was diagnosed with a rare genetic heart disease and given a prognosis of 12 months. It changed me. At first not for the better. I was angry toward God and got in trouble with the law and drugs. I was reckless. I lost everything and ended up on the streets,” Daniel said.
And then, while in a shelter in the Carolinas, everything shifted.
“I had a dream,” he said. “The Apostle Paul was reviewing my life and all the selfishness. I realized I wasn’t going to die, but I needed to live my life as an example of brotherly love.”
And that pivot has put him on the path toward new purpose – to be an example of brotherly love on the streets, and demonstrate the value of radical giving.
“The act of giving shouldn’t have conditions on it. Outcomes tied to giving take the love out of it. That hurts the giver more than the receiver. You’re not getting any spiritual benefit out of it. It becomes a transaction,” he said.
“The principles of abundance have helped me grow my faith. The more I give, the more I receive. It always comes back. But I have to remind myself of that – be very intentional.”
He has some advice to give, as well.
“Find a sense of purpose. Whatever you’re doing, it transforms what you’re doing and makes it worth living for. All the other things matter less,” he said.
“One thing I’ve learned is that everyone gets humbled eventually. I’m happier now than I was with all that stuff. I felt like I was flying 50 kites – a girlfriend, kids, job, soccer practice – I never got to truly enjoy. My life is slower now. I’m able to enjoy it more.”
Daniel said he had another heart attack a few weeks ago.
“Each breath I have is a gift,” he said. “That’s what drives me. I’ve already lived four years longer than the doctors said I would.”
Daniel can be found selling Street Roots papers at two locations: near the Starbucks on Northwest 11th Avenue and Couch Street and at the New Seasons on North Williams Avenue.
Street Roots is an award-winning, nonprofit, weekly newspaper focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. Our newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.
© 2019 Street Roots. All rights reserved. | To request permission to reuse content, email editor@streetroots.org or call 503-228-5657, ext. 404.
