A Love Letter to Cheyenne, Wyoming
Dear Cheyenne,
I am writing to say thank
you for taking good care of my big brother, Rex Spencer. Before coming to you,
Rex had a hard life. He struggled with developmental delays that kept him
functioning on a 3rd grade level. Childhood was brutal, he was
abused and neglected in both our foster home and adopted home. He had been on
and off homeless, trying to find his way in a world that made no sense to him. He
came to you the same way others do, hitch-hiking into town from I-80.
When Rex arrived at your
city limits, he was directed to the local homeless shelter. That’s where for
the first time in his 28 years, he found people who knew how to help him. He
was sent to a lawyer who assisted him in finishing his application for Social
Security disability benefits, something impossible for him to do on his own
because he couldn’t read or write well enough to fill out the paperwork. Rex was
assigned a state case manager and over time, got a clean, safe apartment. His case manager was named Scott. Since Rex
didn’t drive, Scott took him shopping at the grocery store and encouraged him
to buy nutritious food, not just potato chips and hot dogs. Scott help Rex pay
his bills and enrolled him in life classes at the community college.
The next order of
business for Rex was to attend church. He was raised Mormon and he wanted to
stay active in that faith, even though it hadn’t always been the most welcoming
of places for him. He found his local congregation and once again, he
discovered a community of people willing to help him. They encircled him with
friendship and gave him assignments that made him feel fully included.
Rex served at his church
and at his low-income apartment complex. He delighted in carrying his elderly neighbor’s
groceries and trash at Shoshoni Manor Apartments. Between his apartment building,
his church and the locals he befriended on the street, Rex created a community
that he loved.
Not everything was perfect
in Cheyenne for Rex. Like all real life relationships, some days were
difficult. Rex was almost killed by two men in a random act of violence. After
three days in the intensive care unit at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Rex
was able to give the police a description of who tried to cave in his head with
a stolen cement lawn statue. The Cheyenne police found the perpetrators and
they confessed their crime against my brother. They said they were planning to
rob a pizza delivery man, but they couldn’t find one, so they settled on Rex. He was left with permanent damage to his hearing
and vision from the assault.
After five happy years
living in Cheyenne, Rex was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. He moved
with me and my family to Colorado. He didn’t want to leave you. He begged to
stay in his apartment because he was worried about not being there to help his
neighbors. We reassured him that everyone would be taken care of. In the end,
my husband and I had to agree to keep his apartment in case he was needed back
at his home.
When his final decisions
had to be made, Rex requested to be buried in Cheyenne. He wanted to be at
home. Thank you for making his years in your midst the best he ever had. He
loved you very much and I will always be grateful to you for your kindness and
compassion for my brother. He was lucky to have you as his family.
Sincerely,
Heather Young
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