Finding Home Again: Kathy’s Journey to OTR
Photo by Robin Subar Photography
Kathy has lived with the lasting effects of multiple car accidents that left her with spinal injuries. Daily tasks like standing for long periods or moving through tight spaces can be painful and exhausting. Despite these challenges, she worked hard to stay independent, raising her children and building a stable life.
Her resilience comes, in part, from the stability of her upbringing. “The majority of my life, I’ve always had a place to stay,” she recalls. Growing up in a big house where her father kept the bills paid and the refrigerator full, Kathy learned the value of creating a secure environment. As an adult, she carried those values forward, owning homes, working hard, and providing for her family.
But in 2021, everything changed. Kathy’s longtime landlord in Georgia sold the house she had rented for over a decade. With rents skyrocketing, she suddenly found herself without an affordable place to live. Finding housing was especially difficult because of her spinal injuries. Apartments that were affordable weren’t accessible, and those with the features she needed were financially out of reach. “It was hard to find a place where I could move safely and not be in constant pain,” Kathy explains.
Determined not to lean on her children, she bounced between family, friends, and temporary stays across Wisconsin, Texas, and Georgia, sometimes even homeless. The constant moving only increased her pain and sense of instability. “I never really lived with anybody besides my kids,” Kathy says. “And I didn’t want to put my hardships on them. I’m supposed to be the parent they can lean on.”
Creating her secret recipes in her accessible kitchen. Photo by Robin Subar Photography
At OTR, Kathy finally has what she was missing for so long: a safe, affordable home that supports her independence. Wide doorways, roll-in showers, and accessible layouts make daily life manageable, while neighbors offer community and connection. “It’s been a long time since I felt like this. It’s been a long time since I saw me, since I sat in my own space. I am so grateful,” she says softly.
Now, Kathy is thriving in ways she couldn’t before. “I can finally be creative,” she shares. She’s writing a play, loves to read and write, and enjoys spending time in her kitchen making healthy dishes, like her beet juice and another secret recipe drink she created if anyone needs help shedding some lbs. “I can stay up all night if I want, make the apartment look how I like, and just be me,” she says.
Kathy’s journey shows the profound impact of housing designed for adults with physical disabilities. At OTR, she doesn’t just have a roof over her head, she has stability, dignity, independence, and space to flourish creatively.
