Mending the Pain – Sean’s Story
For many of our clients, the journey to finding a decent, affordable place to call home is filled with hardships. This was especially true for Clinton “Sean” Daniel, whose life was marked by severe accidents, broken bones, and slow recoveries. Just as one of Sean’s injuries would begin to heal, another would occur, leaving him in a constant state of pain. Despite the relentless challenges he faced, Sean’s spirit remained unbroken. He was determined to turn his life around, and after 20 long years living on the riverbeds, he did just that.
Sean’s story began at his home in Sutter, where he hoped to start a life with his girlfriend and her son. At the time, Sean was living on social security, and found it difficult to secure a job due to his disability, which left half of his body paralyzed. To make matters worse, his home in Sutter was dilapidated with no heat, no hot water, broken stoves, and sparking electricity. Sean had brought up these issues to his landlord, but they were never addressed. One day, after seeing his girlfriend’s son shivering in the cold, Sean decided he wouldn’t pay rent until the heat was fixed. The landlord refused to make repairs, and despite Sean’s best efforts, he lost the legal battle and was evicted.
Without a home, Sean and his girlfriend tried staying in hotels, but their savings quickly dwindled. With no other options, Sean made the difficult decision to live by the river.
“I made a conscious choice to go to the river when I did, but then I was stuck,” Sean recalls.
Life on the riverbed proved to be quite harsh. Cold nights left Sean shivering, raccoons threatened what little food he had, and the physical demands of chopping wood were overwhelming—especially since he only had one working arm to do the job. Yet, these challenges were minor compared to the accidents and injuries Sean endured. Over the 20 years of him being homeless, Sean remembers being hit by cars at least 15 different times while riding his bike around town. Once, he collided with a car barrier at full speed, shattering all but three of his ribs and requiring emergency surgery. Another time, he fell into an 18-foot sinkhole, mistaking it for a puddle in the dark. The fall left him with a broken clavicle, but fortunately, a friend was there to help him get to the hospital. After each injury, Sean would return to his tent on the riverbed, hoping to make it through another day.
Amidst his health struggles, Sean had been trying to seek refuge at the Better Way shelter, checking to see if his time on the waiting list had come to an end. Just as he was finally accepted, a large tree fell on his tent during a storm, nearly crushing him and completely destroying his camp. Soaked and shaken, Sean made his way to the shelter that night before his scheduled check-in, where he was finally given his own shed to sleep in.
“Man, it felt like I was at the Hilton after living on the river for so long,” Sean remarked.
Upon his arrival, Sean was given clean clothes, plenty of food, and a roof over his head, all of which he had been missing for the past several decades of his life. However, settling into this new environment was more difficult than he’d anticipated. Sean found it hard to sleep in a bed, often dozing off on benches outside. Social interactions were also overwhelming for Sean, as he sometimes left the grocery store without buying anything, too nervous to face potential judgment from others.
“I think it’s from living at the river for so long, where there wasn’t anyone else around but a few people,” Sean explained.
Despite his setbacks, Sean continued to try to take the necessary steps towards improving his life. Sean stayed at the shelter for nearly six months while he waited to undergo surgery for a hernia mesh complication. During this time, Better Way connected with Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter, and within a week, Sean was offered an affordable housing unit at Habitat’s Harmony Village.
“I’m grateful to be here because I could’ve never healed up at the river,” Sean reflects.
Having a place of his own, with affordable rent, warm water, and a safe space to heal has allowed Sean to start rebuilding his life and integrate back into the community. No longer exposed to the cold and the dangers of life on the river, Sean now has structure, attends all his appointments, and feels comfortable in his new environment. Sean encourages others who are homeless or at risk of being homeless to seek help.
“There are resources out there, you just have to jump on the opportunity and take them.” he says.
We are immensely proud of the progress that Sean has made and are happy to be a part of his incredible journey! Thank you Sean for being an inspiration to us all.
