As we age, it becomes even more important than ever to make sure legal documents, such as a will, are in place. 

That way, when you pass away, your wishes are legally known to anyone who might be handling your affairs.

For Louis Malhenzie, the lack of a will from his friend pushed him to experience homelessness for the first time at 61 years old.

“My friend was having serious heart problems, but we just never got to the will,” Louis says. “Unfortunately, he passed away last year, and I got stuck in a tough situation.”

In 2017, a friend from Syracuse called Louis, who was living in Arizona. The friend shared that he was moving to Florida and needed someone to live with because of health issues. Louis jumped at the chance to escape the dry heat, so he bought a ticket to Central Florida, and the two started living in Sanford.

For many years, Louis was living a good life. He had a job for the first three years in manufacturing, but the company closed during the pandemic, and the only other job Louis could find was as a dishwasher at Denny’s. 

When his friend died, family members sold the house Louis was living in. He had no family in Florida and had no place to go. He started at a shelter in Orlando, but couldn’t find a job and left.

“I was riding the Lynx bus and saw Rescue Outreach Mission,” Louis says. “It looked like a decent place, and so I decided to try it.”

Louis came after hours and was provided a cot for the night. The next morning, he was met by a case manager, who saw a path forward for Louis, and Rescue Outreach Mission took him in.

“Our mission is to be available for anyone experiencing homelessness when they decide they need help and are ready to start their journey to a new home,” says Chris Ham, executive director, Rescue Outreach Mission. “Louis’ story shows the impact of what this program can do, especially for the increasing number of seniors who are experiencing homelessness for the first time.”

Thanks to the generosity of Seminole County Government and so many others in the community, Rescue Outreach Mission is able to provide 24-hour-a-day intake services, unlike many others in the community.

That effort certainly helped Louis.

He arrived at Rescue Outreach Mission in February. By May, he was working at Flextrude Aluminum Shapes in Sanford and had left the shelter, saving enough money to rent a room near his work.

ROM is a good place to go to get your life back together. As long as you work with the staff, they are there to help you,” Louis says. “The staff there are truly top of the line.”