When Ray was a child, he was more interested in playing solider
than cowboys and Indians. When he turned 27 he decided to join the National
Guard and turned his childhood playtime into a reality. Ray served in the
Indiana National Guard from 1987-1989, and the National Guard at Desert Storm
in 1992. Ray liked being part of a “well-oiled” group. “There is nothing like
hearing the steps of soldiers in perfect time,” said Ray. From his twin brother
to his uncles and now his son, a passion for serving their country runs in Ray’s
family. However, being in the National Guard took an emotional toll on Ray. He
dearly missed his family, and struggled being away from his late wife who had
multiple sclerosis.
Years later, Ray left Alabama and returned to his
hometown of Indianapolis, but had nowhere to go. For an entire year, Ray
couch-surfed and resorted to sleeping in parks when a couch wasn’t available.
Ray continued doing this until the beginning of 2016, when a friend of his
mentioned HVAF. Within a week of coming to HVAF, Ray was placed in housing and
finally found a place to call home. Ray moved from HVAF housing into his own
house with his daughter, granddaughter and grandson this past May. Thanks to
many people at HVAF, Ray’s life has drastically improved since he first
returned to Indianapolis.
