Shannon, left, and Billie Jean Greene search over the remnants of their devastated home in Bear Creek, N.C. A house fire and a motorcycle accident left the family homeless and without a source of income. “Everything that we had, the house that we had worked for, and everything we had worked for was all gone,” said Billie Jean. “Starting Over” In early January, Shannon Greene and his family moved to Chapel Hill, N.C. searching for refuge after disaster shook their family roots. A house fire and a motorcycle accident left Shannon and the family of four searching for somewhere to call home. While nothing has come easy, with a little help and a lot of faith, the Greene’s have found a new home and a renewed sense of hope.
The Greene family walks to the Inter-Faith Council Women’s Shelter on a Saturday afternoon in Chapel Hill. The Chapel Hill Transit’s reduced bus services on weekends forces the family to walk approximately a quarter-mile to the women’s shelter after getting off of the bus.
Shannon and Billie Jean embrace while waiting in the emergency room at the N.C. Memorial Hospital. A motorcyle accident in February of 2005, left Shannon with a compound fracture and a severed ankle. The reduced bus schedule forced Shannon to walk a distance, aggravating his previous injury.
Shannon gets his leg x-rayed at N.C. Memorial Hospital after a fit of pain came over him. After his motorcycle accident, doctors inserted screws and rods in order to hasten the healing process.
From right, Shannon, Billie Jean, Mitchell, and Micheal Greene wait for a Chapel Hill Transit bus on their way to Wal-Mart. The family depends on the bus to travel to meetings with social services and doctors appointments. With no vehicle, transportation is a major issue for the family.
Shannon and his family pray before eating a meal at the IFC Community Shelter in downtown Chapel Hill, N.C. Shannon credits his relationship with God for providing answers to his questions in times of desperation.
Shannon gives the sign language symbol for “I love you” to his family as they depart on a Chapel Hill Transit bus headed for the HomeStart Women’s Shelter. The family usually separates for the night after eating dinner at the IFC Community House because of regulations at the women’s shelter prohibiting male residents.
Billie Jean cries after thinking her two children might be taken by Chatham County Social Services. “There’s a lot of times she cries. It makes me sad to see her cry,” said Shannon. He tries to offer hope to Billie Jean and carry her through the struggles.
hannon comforts Billie Jean while riding a Chapel Hill Transit bus on their way to the women’s shelter. “I’ve heard her say a few times she felt like giving up,” said Shannon. “I just tell her to keep going – we’re breathing.” Regulations aimed to protect battered residents at the HomeStart women’s shelter forced Shannon to stay down the road at the IFC Community House.
