Marshall Worley’s plan for the next few months is to keep housing, maintain a healthy diet and keep appointments with doctors. Marshall is upfront about death and aging. Throughout his life, and especially in the past few years, he has lost many friends, family and loved ones.
On top of mental illness and chronic pain, the doctor said he is at risk for congestive heart failure.
“I was a bit worried about that,” Marshall said with a dry smile.
He wants to open a savings account to care for his loved ones in case he passes away. Since he moved out of his old apartment, it’s been easier to think about life plans and afterlife plans.
“You know, I came out of the Bud Clark Commons Apartments, and I was one throw away from the incinerator,” Marshall said. “I feel a lot better at the Clifford now. But they’re gonna be remodeling, tearing it down, moving us all to different locations.”
He left Bud Clark Commons when he got the chance. He secured his new apartment, health care and other essentials through his persistent work with his caseworker at Cascadia Health.
Marshall said he got into his new apartment because “they thought I was too old to go back to the streets — and I am!”
He is back looking for a good place to live.
Keeping up with loved ones and medical appointments is just as important as housing. He is waiting on medications and mobility aids, which will make it much easier to get out of his room and out of his head. Getting out — walks in the park, spending time with family and selling Street Roots — makes his apartment feel more like a home.
“I’m so remorseful sometimes, in my room and stuff,” Marshall said. “I’m trying to get out there more often, instead of being stuck in there. My body, though, my body slows me down. It’s getting old.”
Marshall struggles with guilt, made worse by hallucinatory voices knocking him down.
“I want to do something progressive instead of all the yelling at the voices and stuff,” Marshall said.
In the future, he wants to work at the food bank once or twice a week, “to give back to the community.” He wants to be “positive in the community.”
Marshall often sells papers on Southeast Morrison Street and Grand Avenue and the corner of Southeast 39th Avenue and Division Street. You can support Marshall via @StreetRoots on Venmo by entering his name and badge number (921) in the notes.
Street Roots is an award-winning weekly investigative publication covering economic, environmental and social inequity. The newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and is a part of the Street Roots organization. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.
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This article appears in September 11, 2024.