Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Leroy was sentenced to death at 18 years old for a murder he did not commit. He didn't pull the trigger. In Ohio, that didn't matter.
He spent decades in prison. By the time he got out, the world had completely changed. But the hardest part wasn’t surviving death row… it was surviving freedom.
After incarceration, most people face an impossible reality: no job, no support, and nowhere to live. That’s how so many people end up right back on the streets or back behind bars.
Leroy’s life could have followed that same path.
Instead, he got something simple, but life-changing: housing.
With a stable place to live, Leroy was able to stay sober, rebuild his life, and finally experience something he never had before… stability. His story shows what’s possible when we stop setting people up to fail and start giving them a real chance to succeed.
This isn’t just about one man. It’s about a system that too often releases people with nothing and expects a different outcome.
If we’re serious about reducing homelessness and breaking the cycle of incarceration, we have to invest in housing and support for people re-entering society.
Leroy’s story is also featured in our documentary: Prison, Homelessness, or Housing? The Choice That Changes Everything youtu.be/xZngGA7xfuc?si=IPqONiFp_1Ro8_Pf
Executive producer: Mark Horvath
Producer/editor/cinematographer: Alex Gasaway | youtube.com/alexgasaway
More stories:
From Encampments to Homes: How Dallas Is Solving Homelessness youtu.be/iG4afD_ycLk?si=3C-OEAlCz-QFFygm
This Woman's Final Day of Homelessness Will Move You youtu.be/sZQLMnF_y8k?si=qEUqiW6WdiQ0hYdq
Finland Solved Homelessness: Here's How (Spoiler: It's More Than Housing First) youtu.be/0jt_6PBnCJE?si=cQs4kuEoUBQXg530
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Support Invisible People: invisiblepeople.tv/donate
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Invisible People’s Social Media:
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There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, childhood trauma, lack of a living wage, or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness.
We imagine a world where everyone has a place to call home. Each day, we work to fight homelessness by giving it a face while educating individuals about the systemic issues that contribute to its existence. Through storytelling, education, news, and activism, we are changing the narrative on homelessness.
Leroy was sentenced to death at 18 years old for a murder he did not commit. He didn't pull the trigger. In Ohio, that didn't matter.
He spent decades in prison. By the time he got out, the world had completely changed. But the hardest part wasn’t surviving death row… it was surviving freedom.
After incarceration, most people face an impossible reality: no job, no support, and nowhere to live. That’s how so many people end up right back on the streets or back behind bars.
Leroy’s life could have followed that same path.
Instead, he got something simple, but life-changing: housing.
With a stable place to live, Leroy was able to stay sober, rebuild his life, and finally experience something he never had before… stability. His story shows what’s possible when we stop setting people up to fail and start giving them a real chance to succeed.
This isn’t just about one man. It’s about a system that too often releases people with nothing and expects a different outcome.
If we’re serious about reducing homelessness and breaking the cycle of incarceration, we have to invest in housing and support for people re-entering society.
Leroy’s story is also featured in our documentary: Prison, Homelessness, or Housing? The Choice That Changes Everything youtu.be/xZngGA7xfuc?si=IPqONiFp_1Ro8_Pf
Executive producer: Mark Horvath
Producer/editor/cinematographer: Alex Gasaway | youtube.com/alexgasaway
More stories:
From Encampments to Homes: How Dallas Is Solving Homelessness youtu.be/iG4afD_ycLk?si=3C-OEAlCz-QFFygm
This Woman's Final Day of Homelessness Will Move You youtu.be/sZQLMnF_y8k?si=qEUqiW6WdiQ0hYdq
Finland Solved Homelessness: Here's How (Spoiler: It's More Than Housing First) youtu.be/0jt_6PBnCJE?si=cQs4kuEoUBQXg530
==================================
Subscribe here: youtube.com/c/invisiblepeople?sub_confirmation=1
Invisible People’s website: invisiblepeople.tv
Support Invisible People: invisiblepeople.tv/donate
Sign up for our newsletter: invisiblepeople.tv/email
Invisible People’s Social Media:
youtube.com/invisiblepeople
twitter.com/invisiblepeople
instagram.com/invisiblepeople
facebook.com/invisiblepeopletv
tiktok.com/@invisiblepeopletv
There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, childhood trauma, lack of a living wage, or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness.
We imagine a world where everyone has a place to call home. Each day, we work to fight homelessness by giving it a face while educating individuals about the systemic issues that contribute to its existence. Through storytelling, education, news, and activism, we are changing the narrative on homelessness.
