Continued…
The second surgery happened days later when Augustine was rushed back to the emergency room due to severe gastrointestinal bleeding which he was having. When they opened Augustine up, they found massive amounts of internal bleeding, and in order to save Augustine's life, they had to remove his gall bladder, pancreas, and parts of his stomach and intestines. During this surgery, Augustine went into cardiac arrest and flat-lined. He was officially dead and began walking towards what he described as "the long tunnel with light at the end," until he was resuscitated and brought back to life again.

Following his surgeries and fight for life, Augustine returned home to the apartment he shared with his three young children. Due to his injuries, Augustine could no longer work. He had over $500,000 in medical bills when he left the hospital, and no longer any paychecks coming in. While Medi-Cal ended up assisting him with his medical bills, he began to run out of money to pay the rent. Augustine spoke with the landlord of his apartment complex and explained what had happened and why he was unable to pay the rent. His landlord allowed him to stay for awhile without paying, but eventually asked Augustine and his three children to move out. They did move out, leaving most of their furniture and belongings, and taking only a few bags of clothing and personal items with them.

With no place to go, Augustine and his three children moved into their car, a 1996 Geo Metro. They put all of their clothing into a storage unit and began showering at local places with public showers. Augustine returned to the storage each day to get new changes of clothing for his children. Augustine applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which he was awarded. He began receiving $400 a month in food stamps which he used to feed his entire family.

Augustine's children had just finished their school year and were on summer vacation. So, Augustine found himself having to find free activities that his children could do every day. He took them to parks and let them run around and play, and he looked for other free events and places where he could take his children.

Augustine went to various organizations throughout San Diego County looking for assistance for his family. There was some room for his family to stay at a St. Vincent De Paul shelter, but Augustine worried about bringing his pre-teenage daughter into a shelter room that would be shared with numerous other people, including adult males. Augustine heard that the YWCA of San Diego County provided housing and other types of assistance for homeless families, including the Cortez Hill Family Center, a transitional housing facility for homeless families. Augustine applied for the program, was accepted, and his family moved into the Cortez Hill Family Center in June 2007. They are still living at Cortez Hill today, and Augustine has been able to save the money that he would have paid for rent for three months. He now has enough money for the deposit and two months rent at an apartment that he recently applied for. He is hoping that he will be accepted for the apartment and that he and his children will be able to move in beginning in October 2007.

Augustine noted that the YWCA of San Diego County's Cortez Hill Family Center is different than other housing programs for homeless people, because they provide more than just housing and food. The Cortez Hill Family Center and the staff who work there really try to "build you up" and are concerned about helping your body, mind and soul. They provide counseling services for his family, and they have connected Augustine with other resources that he to get his family back on their feet. Augustine shared that his experience at Cortez Hill has been amazing. He considers the Cortez Hill Family Center" his "Salvation" and knows that "God is watching out for him" during this challenging time in his life.

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Augustine Alvarez is a single father of three children;
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Augustine's Story Above

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