Homelessness is one of the most difficult challenges a person ever has to face. Most of us are fortunate enough to never end up homeless, but those who do can quite easily find themselves in a never-ending cycle.
There is still a huge stigma around homelessness in the US. People who are homeless and unemployed can find it very difficult to get back to work, largely because many businesses expect you to be able to provide them with a home address before you get started with them.
Many people are scared or put off by the instability that often comes with homelessness, and it is wrongly assumed that all homeless people are living on the streets by choice. This can make it incredibly hard for homeless people to turn their lives around.
Chris Atoki knows all too well how it feels to be homeless and unemployed.
The young man had only has car to his name 4 years ago, and would shower at his gym. He had no idea what his next meal would be, and when it would come around.
But Chris’ story has a happy ending, and he shared it in an inspirational post to Twitter. This month, Chris has become the proud owner of his own home – and it’s a very nice one, at that.
In his post, which has nearly 400k likes, Chris wrote,
“4 years ago I was homeless sleeping in my car, showering at the gym, wondering where my next meal would come from. Today I’m officially a homeowner!”
The post is accompanied by an image of a beaming Chris, standing proudly outside his new home, a beautiful detached wood and brick build with its own immaculate front lawn.
So how did Chris manage to change his life so drastically? What did it take for him to become one of the biggest inspirations of this year?
Chris mentions on Twitter that he is a software engineer and mobile developer, and had attended Lambda school. An article published to Wired last year mentions a Chris Atoki, then 23, who had learned to code before joining a company in Philadelphia – and all signs point towards this being Chris Atoki, the inspiration.
According to the article, Chris was selling mattresses while he was in education, but with his new company, he now earns a salary of roughly $95,000 – three times what he earned selling mattresses.
Chris is proof that it’s never too late to learn something new, whether that means going back into education or picking up a new skill. Chris admitted that learning code was challenging, but it was evidently a challenge he was wiling to face.
This is confirmed by a longer post that Chris shared to his Twitter, beginning: “So I got some time to write.”
In the post, Chris shares his struggles from the past, and how he had lost his job while attending college full-time, then quit school because he couldn’t afford it. After falling out with his mom, he ended up homeless.
Chris admits to crying himself to sleep as he lay in his car outside Walmart, having tried and failed to stay at his grandma’s house and his girlfriend’s dorm. He even considered ending his own life – but then he had an epiphany, and realized that the only person who would look out for him was himself.
Spurred on by this new motivation, Chris applied for every job he could find, and ended up being hired by a mattress firm. He managed to make enough money to afford a rental home, and from then on, things were looking much brighter. He started his education at Lambda school, then returned as a teaching assistant. He used his time to guide students who had the same goals as he did.
Finally, he was ready to move on, and Chris started to apply for tech jobs. It wasn’t long before he had landed his first ever dream job. Best of all, Chris now has a son, who he says is “another reason to fight and push myself”.
I kept at it through a few challenges but things were pretty smooth, plus my son came into this world. Another reason to fight and push myself. I wasn’t the best father when he was first born but I’ve corrected my mistakes and pushed on. pic.twitter.com/LfWZz5D7hc
— Chris Atoki (@KingAtoki) July 8, 2020
Chris ended his message on an uplifting note, reminding people not to give up on their dreams. He wrote:
“My goal is to show people that no matter the circumstances you can overcome it. I’m a 24 year old black man with tattoos and was homeless just 4 years ago. To now owning a $350k home on 1.24 acres. If I can do it. You definitely can. I’m proud of myself.”
It’s unsurprising that Chris has seen so much positive feedback on his Twitter post. His story inspired hundreds of people, who shared his Tweet or took to the comments to congratulate him on his success.
One person commented to share their own inspirational path from homelessness to owning his own home. He wrote:
“I just got tears in my eyes man. 2 1/2 years ago, lost my career, marriage, house, car, money, credit, friends, family. I lived in my van, homeless. Got a job, used my gym shower, had $15 to my name. Today, THIS is my backyard. Thanks for sharing. I’m so grateful for both of us.”
His post was accompanied by an image of a beautiful garden overlooking the mountains.
I just got tears in my eyes man. 2 1/2 years ago, lost my career, marriage, house, car, money, credit, friends, family. I lived in my van, homeless. Got a job, used my gym shower, had $15 to my name. Today, THIS is my backyard. Thanks for sharing. I’m so grateful for both of us. pic.twitter.com/lr1mt6oEOK
— Joe Cardile (@CardileD) July 8, 2020
Since his initial Tweet, Chris has been sharing advice to those who aspire to follow in his footsteps one day. He wrote about the importance of being able to to sell yourself and learning continuously.
It certainly seems like his advice is working for himself, so his followers would do well to take his wise words on board.
Chris truly is an inspiration, and proof that with enough commitment, self-belief and hard work, anyone can achieve their goals in life. We wish him plenty of further success in the future.
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