DENVER — A man who was living on the streets in Denver for years now has a place to call home.
Marco Struck lost his job and found himself sleeping in a tent in Cheesman Park. He was homeless for five years.
Struck shared with Denver7 that he dealt with substance abuse, felt alone and things kept getting worse for him.
“The most difficult part about it was being alone, you know, not having anybody to confide in, to talk to about it, just doing it all by myself. I felt just alone and trapped,” said Struck.
Struck says one day he tried to commit suicide but a bystander helped save his life.
"And if it wasn't for a jogger, you know, in the park or whatever that cut me down, it probably would have succeeded," he said.
After he got out of the hospital, Struck said he decided to turn his life around. He sent countless emails to different local organizations until he found Richard Dilworth, who worked for the Athena group in Denver.
Dilworth helped Struck get his life back on track.
"I came in met him out here at this beautiful Cheesman Park, and we absolutely hit it off, like right off the bat. He really showed a lot of intention as far as moving forward," said Dilworth. “He looks better physically. He's smiling more. He’s happy. He has a zest for life that wasn't really there when I first met him and really excited about his future."
Dilworth first helped him get into the Safe Outdoor Space Program through the Colorado Village Collaborative.
After that, Struck received a call saying he had won a housing lottery through the Denver Housing Authority and he moved into his new apartment at the end of January.
He’s now enjoying his new place while also looking for a job.
“Honestly, it's a breath of fresh air. So I love it. And I wish this for like everybody that's that was in my situation,” said Struck.