Two hundred and fifty miles from Springfield, in Kansas, Peter Hayden’s transmission bit the dust. The 90-year-old didn’t have friends or family in the area, so he planned to hitchhike the remainder of the trip. Fortunately, he met a woman who didn’t mind taking Hayden along with her, as she was heading the same way.
Hayden said he was traveling to Springfield because he wanted to live in a new, bigger city. He grew up in Minneapolis but had spent recent years in smaller towns. He longed for the experience of a bigger city again. But upon his arrival, he was unfamiliar with Springfield and only had the few items he could fit in the stranger’s car. Without a place to sleep, a vehicle or knowledge of the area, Hayden was, by definition, homeless.
Hayden hadn’t imagined himself in this position. He’s served his country twice, both in the Navy and Army, and has a master’s degree, which he used to teach for over 10 years. However, Hayden became the victim of an unfortunate chain of events.
By good luck, he came across Victory Mission + Ministry and never had to spend a night on the streets. He spent about one month at the emergency shelter for men before being connected with Case Manager John Oaws at The Kitchen, Inc., who arranged for him to live at Beacon Village Apartments.
“I owe everything to John and Kylee (Verbeck, a fellow case manager at The Kitchen); they’ve been really, very helpful,” Hayden said. “I wouldn’t have this apartment if John hadn’t gone through the trouble of getting it for me.”
Hayden’s apartment is provided through The Kitchen’s Home At Last program, which serves veterans and their families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The program is funded through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families grant from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.
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Veterans and families interested in Home At Last’s service must have an income below 50% of the average median income and may be any status but a dishonorable discharge, Veterans Services Coordinator Andrew Drescher said.
This year, The Kitchen has served a total of 156 veterans, Community Development Coordinator Ellen Herbig said.
‘King of Nobodies’
Hayden laughed as he crowned himself the “King of Nobodies” during his interview with the News-Leader, but Oaws, who helped Hayden move into his apartment about six months ago, thinks differently.
“This man has given his whole life to helping other people and he wants nothing in return,” Oaws said about Hayden. “He’s dedicated his life to serving other people. He’s my hero.”
As a young adult, Hayden joined the Navy Reserve during the Korean War with his late twin brother.
Hayden and his brother were discharged from the Navy on the final day of the Korean War, which Hayden described as an “accident.” Following that, Hayden enrolled at Marquette University, a private research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
A few months after graduating, Hayden enlisted in the Army for the Vietnam War.
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“I thought I would probably come back in a body bag,” he said.
Hayden returned home before the war ended on hardship discharge to act as a caregiver for his mother, who was recovering from a “severe stroke.” While looking after her, he worked on his master’s degree for teaching at Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado. He recalled an instance where one of his instructor was hesitant to give him the grade he deserved.
“The (instructor) who was responsible for my grade said, ‘I’m going to give him a B,’ and the master teacher, she was something really special, said, ‘You can’t give him a B. He’s the best student teacher I’ve ever known in 20 years of teaching,” Hayden said. “I thought, ‘Really, what did I do?’ But he did; he gave me an A.”
Between caring for his mother, studying and student teaching, Hayden also served as the university’s tennis coach.
At the time, his tennis team required at least six players. When Hayden held his first practice, only six players showed up and two of them were beginners, which he said concerned him.
During one tournament, Hayden’s team was up against district champions. One of his players was out and he had no hope of winning any matches. But his players surprised him, winning the first match and then the second.
“It was just unbelievable,” Hayden said with a laugh.
Following the completion of his master’s degree, Hayden began teaching at a boarding school on a Native American reservation in New Mexico. He taught there for about 10 years before he was let go due to a reduction of staff.
After leaving the reservation, Hayden continued to teach in Farmington, New Mexico and following his mother’s passing in 1971, he moved to California for a short time. He later returned to Farmington, which is where he lived until making his way to Springfield.
Today, Hayden enjoys keeping his apartment warm and displaying his love for God.
“I am a nothing and nobody, but it’s alright because God takes care of me,” Hayden said. “I’ve had a wonderful life.”
For those interested in learning more about the Home at Last program and whether or not they qualify, call The Kitchen, Inc. at 417-225-7410.
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