KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A story has come full circle. Two men who experienced homelessness in 2021 are now in homes thanks to the help of the Community Action Committee, Cokesbury Church's Fig Tree space, and Scott Lappas.
10News interviewed Richard Ellenburg and Terry Johnson in Dec. 2021. At the time, the partners were living on the street behind Kroger off Cedar Bluff.
Now, that area is empty. That's because Richard and Terry traded the street for their own apartments at Isabella Towers.
This is the first time in 27 years that Richard Ellenburg has had his own place, with a solid roof over his head.
"It's pretty good," Richard said, " But, it's hard, it's a big jump with a lot of responsibility."
A year ago, he talked about wanting to get off the streets.
"Nobody wants us out there. We don't want to be out there either. But the only choice we had at the time," Richard said.
Terry talked about the same thing. He fell into homelessness after a divorce six years ago. That's when he and Richard connected, and became partners on the streets.
"We help each other survive and sometimes that's not easy," Terry said.
The two of them slept in the same 5-person tent. They guarded their campsites and lended each other money when they needed it. They looked out for one another.
"He's my best friend, my brother. We watched out for each other, we still do," Richard said.
"If you don't have somebody that will watch your back, you're not going to make it out here," Terry said.
What they didn't know a year ago was that someone else had their back, too. That person was Scott Lappas.
"One of those things that they needed was for somebody to listen to what they needed," Scott said.
Scott met Richard on a separate occasion several months earlier. However, he ran into him again during a homeless outreach in West Knoxville that 10News attended.
During that outreach, Scott extended an invitation to Richard and Terry to help get them into housing. It was that day that got the ball rolling.
"I started working with them, and then they were both housed less than a year later," Scott said.
Scott planted the seed, but Richard and Terry really encouraged one another to go through the process.
"We convinced each other. I convinced him that, yes, you can make it inside an apartment. He convinced me that I needed to accept the help," Terry said.
Hope came for the pair in the shape of silver keys to new apartments at the Isabella Towers. It took about 6 months to get Richard's keys, and a few more to get Terry's. They both needed help finding identifying documents.
"Seeing them be able to sign their lease, open their apartment, and walk into their apartment... there's no real greater joy than that in this in this kind of work," Scott said.
Scott celebrates all the successes, big and small.
"It's become not just a career for me, but a life path and a mission," Scott said.
Terry said he's grateful for Scott's persistence and support.
"All we can do is be thankful. They helped us so much that we consider them our family," Terry said.
"We are just so thankful," Richard said.
To learn more about Fig Tree, visit their website.