Reunited and Restored

Scott Rupe credits his survival to his dogs and Joppa. In the five years Scott lived homeless in a makeshift shack along the Des Moines River, his dogs—Daisy Mae and Zoe Michelle—were with him every step.

“If it weren’t for those dogs, I never would have made it,” Scott says. “I needed that responsibility, knowing I’ve got to take care of something.”

Scott’s path to homelessness started like many others. Growing up in Ottumwa, Iowa, Scott had a rough upbringing. His father was an alcoholic and drug addict. His mom fed him sleeping pills. At age two, Scott’s grandparents took custody of him and his brother. They tried to keep Scott out of trouble, but he got caught up in drugs and alcohol and dropped out of school.

Eventually Scott moved to Des Moines and took work as a construction painter. For over a decade, Scott had a stable home, job, marriage and two dogs. But the alcohol and drug abuse finally took its toll, and he and his wife divorced. “That’s when I gave up,” Scott says. “I was drinking to fill the void and not feel pain.”

He lost his house, then his car. Instead of going to a shelter, Scott built a shack and lived outside because he didn’t have the heart to abandon his dogs.

A self-described “country boy,” Scott thought living outside would be easy. But he soon struggled to meet his daily needs. Building a fire filled his shack with smoke, so he endured the cold as best he could. During his first winter, he was frostbitten so badly he suffered permanent damage to his fingertips.

When Scott found out about Joppa, it sounded too good to be true. Volunteers started bringing him supplies, including food, gloves, blankets, a coat, boots, and a propane heater. “Joppa saved me many, many times,” Scott says.

However, without any immediate housing options, he grew depressed the longer he remained unsheltered. The lowest point came when his dog, Daisy Mae, wasn’t feeling well and started to turn away food. Scott decided to bring her to a veterinarian the next day, but she never made it. Daisy Mae died in his arms.

“Right there by the water, that’s where she passed away. She went quickly,” Scott says, wiping away tears. “Thank God I had her, because I wasn’t so lonely. She always made me smile.”

After Daisy Mae’s death, Scott struggled to remain optimistic, telling himself there was something good coming right around the corner. That good thing came two months later. Pat McPherren, a Client Services Specialist at Joppa, learned that Scott’s cousin was trying to locate him. After Pat helped connect them on the phone, Scott’s cousin came to his camp and offered to take him home. Scott grabbed his coat and his dog, Zoe Michelle, and left everything else behind.

Scott is now sober and adjusting to his new life. He says he owes everything to his cousin for finding him and opening up his home. And he’s grateful to Joppa for sustaining him through the hardest times and helping reconnect him with family.

“I’m starting to find peace again,” Scott says. “I can smile. I can close my eyes at night and know everything’s OK.”

Watch a video about Scott’s journey.