A chance to start over after a journey of survival
Two years ago, Holly Henderson and Lenny Rohr packed their lives into their car and set off for Colorado, where they had made plans to live with a family member while they found work. They were seeking a fresh start, hopeful for what life could bring them. They weren’t expecting to lose their new opportunity before even arriving.
Reaching the Kansas state line halfway through the drive, all their plans suddenly fell through, leaving them with no place to go and no place to return.
“We had already lost everything and left everything,” Holly said. “It's like hitting a rock bottom.”
At the time, it was November, and they feared the struggle of finding warmth and safety in the Colorado winter. After researching, they set out for Arizona, aiming to survive the colder months in tamer weather.
They began living out of their car with their dog Max but remained hopeful while reaching out for help with various shelters.
“We're together, and we have our dog, which is huge to us,” said Holly.
Holly recalls their time living in their car as full of “stress, and a lot of hurt.”
Holly and Lenny had secured jobs upon their arrival in Phoenix, rotating shifts to keep Max safe.
But as the seasons changed, Holly and Lenny were struck with the realization of the impending life-threatening brutality of the coming summer months.
“Whenever she had to work, Max and I would just sit in the car, and I would just turn on the car for the A/C until I'd run the gas out," said Lenny.
On top of surviving the heat, access to water had become a challenging feat. Having to seek out gas stations or fast-food places that would allow them to take a cup of water or a cup of ice while begging to fill Max’s bowl.
“You got to improvise, and you got to figure out what you can do, and what parks are not safe to sleep in,” said Holly.
Holly and Lenny experienced living in their car from the months of November to April, when the early days of summer heat began and life in their car felt significantly hotter. During those months, emergency heat shelters that provide resources like fresh water, cool air and safe places to sleep out of the heat were not available to the public until May.
The only way they got through the difficult time was by being support systems for one another. They had even been holding out for a shelter that would house all three at once, never willing to separate from each other.
“Honestly, without him and Max, I don't think I would have been able to have adapted at all. They've helped keep me grounded to the points where I'm like,’ oh my God, all right, we got to get out of this,’” said Holly.
Their daily struggle to survive was relieved in May 2025 when they were connected to St. Vincent de Paul’s Washington Street Shelter by a partner agency. There was room for all three.
“We don't have to worry about somebody flipping out, having something they're not supposed to have, or attacking people. I'd rather be here than out there. We have access to water. We have access to bathrooms at any time,” said Holly.
While staying at WSS, Holly and Lenny have access to a wide range of services designed to support their journey toward stable housing and long-term financial recovery, including a dedicated bed for each guest, three meals a day, access to hygiene facilities, and personalized case management focused on helping individuals end their homelessness and secure permanent housing.
In addition to these basic needs, WSS offers comprehensive wraparound services, including employment assistance, workforce development programming, and support for residents' companion animals. Despite sleeping in separate dormitories and taking turns caring for Max overnight, Holly and Lenny are able to stay connected to their cherished companion while receiving the support they need to rebuild their lives.
The couple's case managers has been a guiding light, helping them get new documentation like state ID’s and birth certificates, help with mobility, housing and work.
Throughout their journey they remained patient and hard at work to fight for their future.
“I'm looking forward to being able to start life like we want to,” said Holly.
The couple is now on their way to gaining permanent housing. Lenny has been hired for a secure full-time job as a shift manager, and Holly is enrolled in college and will begin attending courses this coming September to receive her degree as an Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner.
They are grateful that they were able to escape the heat before it hit triple digits and are grateful for the home they found with SVdP.
“Looking back, I'm really happy that [SVdP] came through when it did, because I don’t think we would have survived the first summer here,” said Holly.
