Patricia Wingo is in her pantry helping Mr. Brantley as he prepares to move into the place she helped him find.  He is no longer homeless.

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On the front lines of the Tampa Housing Authority’s Homeless Outreach Program,  Wingo is only in the office a few hours a day. The rest is on the streets.

She has a special relationship with Tampa’s homeless population for a very good reason.

“I was homeless for two years. Because of bad choices I made in life caused me to be homeless. I was evicted from public housing,” Wingo said.

Her bad choices involved drug use.

The day she was evicted her mother began to care for her son.

“She took my son and she said he will never want for anything as long as I live but you cannot bring this into his life. He doesn’t deserve this,” Wingo said.

It took years, but Wingo turned her life around, went back to school earning a college degree and has been with the Tampa Housing Authority for 20 years being honored with several awards.

“She’s my hero,” Mr. Brantley said.  “She’s always checking on me. Make sure I’m all right.”

But for Wingo, who’s been there and back, when the talk turns to heroes she knows a great many. They are her family. The homeless.

“They are my heroes. They keep me grounded. It’s an everyday reminder of how grateful I am doing that journey,” Wingo said.

A journey of love.