Lawrence was only 13 years old when he shot and killed his father.
Before the Vietnam War, his father had never once laid hands on his family. But the war changed his father for the worse. He now drank all the time and would beat his wife and children. Even with six older brothers, aunts, and uncles, no one batted an eye.
Witnessing the abuse of his mother one evening, Lawrence did the unthinkable. “I couldn’t take it anymore. I was scared.” He took his father’s handgun and shouted at him to stop. His father took a step forward, and Lawrence pulled the trigger. The recoil caused Lawrence to angle the gun upwards and fire a fatal shot.
“I never meant to kill my father,” said Lawrence. “I called the police. On my own front porch, I sat down and put the gun beside me. Ten SWAT cars pulled up, jumped out with rifles pointed at me. I got tackled and knocked off the front porch. They handcuffed me and put me in a corner.”
Lawrence was sentenced to juvenile detention for four years in Texas. After juvenile detention, he was taken to court and sentenced for 25 years for killing his father. “From the state penitentiary, I went from one hell hole to the next. But I fought, and I fought, and I wouldn’t give up. I wanted to live,” he said.
While in prison, he made the most of programs available like trade schools to advance his skills. After 22 years, Lawrence was finally released with three years on parole. From Huntsville, Texas, he made his way back to Dallas with his dog. However, he was met with a police officer at a bus station who informed him that he was not welcome back into the county.
From Dallas County, Lawrence hitchhiked for a week, remembering the kindness of a driver in a yellow Corvette, before arriving in Gilroy, California. For four years, he slept in a tent and got up every morning, walking the streets to try to find someone who could help him get on his feet.
“Three women in Gilroy helped me get housing, my ID, birth certificate, all that,” explains Lawrence. “And then I got sent here,” he says with smile.
Lawrence now lives in a beautiful one-bedroom studio at Agrihood, his very first home since childhood. His favorite part of the community is the residence’s openness to pets. He enjoys spending time in the studio and walking around the neighborhood with Gigi, his very sweet half-Pitbull, half-Alaskan Husky.
He also appreciates the kindness of the staff who provide support. “The staff here are great. They make the residence feel like home,” he added.
Angelica (Angel) Marie Sterling is the program manager for Community Solutions. She and the case workers she manages work closely with the residents who need support services.
“Every day is a new opportunity. Every day is a new chance to improve,” said Angel Marie Sterling, the program manager for Community Solutions. She and the case workers she manages work closely with the residents who need support services. “We try our best to do everything we can to help and support you to be successful and maintain housing. That’s the goal.”
“This place is a Godsend,” said Lawrence. “I never had anything. I just have what the good Lord has provided for me. I thank everyone here for this. It means something for me. This is my home. This is all I got. This is my paradise.”