The road from here is getting shorter and it is also getting rougher. If ever there was a clear indication that the human race is on the wrong path, it’s now. Violence, corruption, genocide and unrestrained greed are the daily activities of twenty first century America and it’s allies. I’m not surprised to see this happening, but it’s no less of a terrible waste.
As some of you may know, in 2018, I was in a terrible accident. While stopped for a construction zone flagman, I was hit from behind by a forty ton semi truck traveling at fifty miles per hour. As a sixty six year old man, I was lucky, in a way, to survive the impact, but I suffered significant injuries. In addition to the physical injuries, I suffered significant property damage. Both the insurance company for the truck driver and my insurance company refused to pay for injuries or damages. The Governor of Washington and the Insurance Commissioner agreed with them and on the street I went, my retirement savings gone and crippled for life.
There is more to the story than meets the eye, which is always the case here in America. Following the accident, I did the best I could. I kept my watermanatwork.com website going even though I had no money, phone or internet service. My kayak and bicycle were all I had left and it’s all I could do until recently when the injuries from the accident make it hard to move or sleep, never mind ride a bike or paddle a kayak. Most people I’ve met probably never knew I was a homeless veteran, like thousands of others.
Soon after the accident, I realized there was no “coming back” or return to “normal” life. I did not have the ability to earn money like I did when I was younger and was suffering from injuries sustained in the accident. I would live the rest of my life and die on the street, all because I stopped for that stop sign in 2018.
All I had was my barely working computer, that was damaged in the accident, and my camera. I’ve been in tough spots before, one of the first things I do is take a couple pictures. As a photographer and writer, I felt it was my job to document the situation the best I could. I’ve met thousands of people with no permanent residence, who, like me, did nothing wrong and lost everything. It turns out that the story of having everything taken away from you by the people who are supposed to be insuring your safety is a common one. It is also the eyewitness account of the beginning of the end for the United States of America.
I’m at the stage where I can take a quantative look at my life which is basically divided into two parts; my life before the 2018 accident and my life after the accident. My life before the accident had it’s ups and downs, like everybody else, but overall, was pretty good. That can be found HERE. My life after the accident was like a nightmare from hell, only worse. That can be found HERE.** From now until the end of my life, which is not that far off, I will try to add as much material to these websites, as well as the long running watermanatwork.com.
Check back soon.
**Due to personal safety reasons, this link will be added shortly