Building an airplane model requires patience and persistence. Much the way he carefully builds models, Dale is piecing together a better life than the one he has recently experienced. According to Dale, “There’s a place for everyone.” That’s precisely what he has found: his own place to call home.
Dale is a third generation mechanic. 
He worked for his father and earned a master mechanic degree from Sinclair. Afterwards, Dale served five years in the Navy––two-and-a-half in Vietnam on an assault boat––until he was injured by a rocket propelled grenade. Dale then came back and continued working as a mechanic.
Independent living was not an issue until he experienced serious medical issues. Around 1999, Dale had a stroke that rendered him unable to remember or do much beyond basic living. “There are large gaps I don’t remember. Savings lasted about three years, then ran out. Stuff got bad then,” Dale stated.
In addition to the lack of basic necessities, Dale struggled with the melancholy that accompanied homelessness: “You feel like you are always alone, even in a crowd. Most folks want to belong and you don’t get to. It hurts the inner soul. To those who have homes, don’t make assumptions about homeless folks, those stereotypes might cause you not to want to help out.”
He found Homefull and his journey back to housing began. Through Homefull’s shelter and case management, Dale was placed at the Iowa Avenue Project, which is local permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless men. Homefull keeps helping him venture towards his goals. For his future, Dale wants to regain more memory and “thinking ability,” and once again drive and work.
Dale’s airplane model and new life are similar, built one step at a time and each step needing a fair amount of preparation to turn out right. A variety of tools assist him, each having its own specialty. Piece-by-piece, step-by-step, it takes shape and begins to function. Done right, the end product is quite beautiful.