AUSTIN — From a penthouse to a cardboard corner; one Austin man went from silk sheets and a king size bed, to fighting for a safe place to sleep.
Upon first glance, Craig Knodel doesn't present the usual signs of homelessness. Wearing what looked to be a freshly washed grey shirt, Buckle jeans, and a pair of Kevin Durant tennis shoes, if it wasn't for his cardboard housing and knapsack of belongings, he looked like any other working class man. Knodel once owned his own moving company, had a loving family, and more than he ever dreamed of, but mixed with greed and irresponsibility he didn't realize how quickly it could all disappear.
"I mean yeah, I pretty much had it all. The money, the cars, the smoking hot wife. I got really greedy though and got in trouble with law one too many times. It happens so fast, you can lose everything so fast," said Knodel. "I used to live on the 15th floor of that building right there," he said as he pointed to one of the huge high-rise buildings in downtown Austin.
According to Addictioncenter.com, 64 percent of homeless people are dependent on either drugs or alcohol. Knodel admitted to being addicted to the drug K2, also called spice, which is a synthetic cannabinoid which is legal here in the U.S. Knodel hinted at the idea that he might start selling it on the streets for "some extra coin". Before becoming homeless he was being busted with nearly $50,000 of weed, which he distributed under the table through his moving company; ultimately resulting in his homelessness. Knodel says he was released from federal prison fairly recently and that he is still being watched.
"They still watch me, the FBI and shit. I see them out here sometimes just watching, trying to act inconspicuous," he said, then pointing to his friend AJ, who agreed and added, "it's crazy to be watched. Me and Craig run this block, so we always got eyes on us, not just the feds."
"I just bought a really nice tent last week; the nicest one you could get for about 30 dollars at least. Slept two people, so I told Craig he could use it too. I used it one night and it was stolen the next day," said AJ. "That shit happens all the time man, we have to fight for stuff out here, nothing's safe."
Sarah Stockton, a woman who regularly volunteers and brings things, whether it be a few McDoubles or a stockpile of Lunchables, was outside saying hello and sparking up conversation when two men started getting very hostile over a stolen joint.
"You just have to let it happen. You don't know them, you don't know the situation, you can't intervene," said Stockton. "I've been doing this for months now and I see it all the time. These people are living the hardest life in the world though, sometimes I don't blame them."
Craig said he tries to stay out of trouble and not get into too many altercations because, he "doesn't want to make it worse for others or myself," saying, "I'm just trying to get my life back."
If you are interested in volunteering with the homeless, check out frontsteps.org for more information.