Roger Schmidt taught Ethnic Studies at the University. He obtained his Ph.D. at the University in 1992. He is a husband and a father of three children. For eight months of his life, both he and his family were homeless.
“I am reminded of a song by Joe South, entitled “Walk a Mile in My Shoes,” Schmidt said upon looking back at his life. “Take the time to walk in my shoes.”
Schmidt had a heart attack on March 15,2000 which left him physically unable to work. He was 54 years old at the time.
“I never expected it,” he said. “I played football, walked, and hiked all my life.”
“I had always lived by the phrase no pain no gain,” he added. “After having a heart attack, I realize that things aren’t like that.”
Schmidt also developed diabetes after the heart attack.
Bills continued to add up and eventually both he and his family were evicted. He, his wife, his two young boys, and his eighteen-year-old daughter soon found themselves homeless. At the time, his oldest daughter also had a baby.
“Prior to the heart attack, I was working as a dishwasher,” Schmidt said. “Before that I worked as a Ethnic Studies teacher at the University. A student accused me of sexual harassment, an accusation that she had made at her previous colleges.”
“After that accusation I was not offered another contract,” he added. “I quickly learned that it did not matter if I was guilty; what mattered was that I was accused.”
Once evicted, Schmidt and his family were forced to rely on the food pantry and various churches for help. They had to live in the Best Motel in Bowling Green, with other area churches helping them to pay the costs.
“Unfortunately, the hotel was very sleazy, Schmidt said.” “It was not where to raise a child. The boys were so young that they viewed everything as an adventure. They were not aware of the bad hings.”
Among the bad things, Schmidt mentioned the hotel being infested by rats and his wife catching their landlord watching her while she was taking a shower.
“I remember a time when the FBI was at the hotel to investigate drug dealings of cocaine and marijuana,” Schmidt added.
Schmidt said that gossip escalated within the community because of the hotel where we were living in.
“My wife and I found it hard to find jobs,” he said. “I felt that the community was unforgiving.”
“I once asked my pastor if he would help us,” he added. “He said no, so I asked him, ‘You can’t or you won’t help my family?’. He replied, I won’t.”
After going on disability, Schmidt was able to improve his and his family living conditions.
“Now we live in an apartment,” Schmidt said. “Our present landlord is one hundred times better. He is non-intrusive, fixes things, and best of all this is a safe place for my children.”
He added that looking back at his life, he realized how far along he has come.
“It’s painful to recall that time in my life, there was a daily throbbing pain,” he said. “After being homeless for eight months in a motel that didn?t have working heat and was overcrowded, I now feel truly fortunate for what I have.”
Schmidt also said that most of his strength during the difficult times came from his family.
“I received most of my help from my family, who kept me going.”
His wife, Linn Schmidt added, “My daughter gave us a lot of strength. She got us through it when we had no money.”
Linn Schmidt also realized the journey her family had to go through.
“Once we had to go to the Toledo Homeless Shelter,” she said. “The place smelled of urine. I feel very fortunate to be living where I am now.”
Schmidt said that nothing in his life could have made him think something like that would happened to him.
“I came to BGSU on a football scholarship, I received my bachelors in 68, my masters in 88, and my Ph.D. in 92,” he said. “I never imagined that I would be homeless, but I feel truly blessed to be where I am now.”
