Two contrasting expressions surfaced during our 2019 coverage of homelessness, illustrating the sadness and hope that can accompany this issue.

On one hand, we found Allie Eckersley, whose father, ex-pitcher Dennis Eckersley, is in baseball’s Hall of Fame and earned millions of dollars, yet Allie was living with her boyfriend in a tent in thick woods.

She cast some blame here and there, avoided most eye contact and spoke without much spark, yet quietly expressed hope for what the future may bring.

On the other hand, we revisited Deb Eckland, homeless for 22 months here and in Manchester before she chose to rebuild her life through a ton of paperwork and a spirit that never broke.

Their names fit together nicely, like some law firm or TV show, and their lives were heading in similar directions, before Eckland chose to take stock of herself.

So let’s start there, on a high note.

Eckland had an upper-middle-class life, a fact revealed on Facebook by photos of a living room fireplace and large kitchen, both part of her house in Stratham.

But after her divorce 15 years ago, she met a man whom Eckland said bilked her out of the money she had received in the divorce settlement, leading to jail, fear and homelessness. She lived in Concord, under a twirling, intersecting series of branches, vines and sticks.

Undaunted by the arduous process involved in securing aid and housing, Eckland researched available programs, filled out mountains of paperwork and hounded organizations like the Department of Health and Human Services.

Her effort paid off. Eckland receives partial funding for the Concord apartment she rents, and her Social  Security application remains active, meaning she may be in line for more financial assistance early next year.

Meanwhile, Eckland worked. She washed dishes, opened her own delivery business, using a bicycle to get around, held a sign outside as an advertising tool for a local business, and later moved inside to work the counter.

These days, Eckland’s hair is smoothed and styled, she has makeup on her face rather than windburn, and those long crying sessions have been greatly reduced.

“There were nights I laid in that camp, night after night,” Eckland said. “A lot of times it felt like no one cared. I’m proud I still have something left in me.”

Eckersley, who was adopted by Dennis and his second wife, Nancy, hopes to find the strength and resourcefulness that helped Eckland find stability.

She carried her life in a knapsack, ate her meals at the Friendly Kitchen and spoke about a better life ahead, not just for her, but for others as well.

“I want to begin a homeless mental-health awareness event,” Eckersley said in the spring. “Have it be like the telethon, or a carnival where you pay to get in, or a movie night and the money goes to a housing shelter.”

Eckersley acknowledged that mental illness was the root cause of homelessness for many, including her. She also said she hoped to reconnect with her parents, who are now divorced, and attend college.

She said she was tired of being judged for living in the hidden nooks and crannies of Concord.

“These are our homes,” she said at the time. “The only issue is that Concord looks at us like we’re scum. They don’t realize we’re human beings.”

The city’s Coalition to End Homelessness is busy at work, trying to secure housing for anyone who wants it by creating four downtown apartments. In addition, the coalition has built and opened its own cold-weather shelter to provide warmth and safety in the winter months. 

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