Eyewitness News brought you the story of Kenneth Baen earlier this week. He's now staying at a recovery center in Long Beach. The owners were touched by his story and offered him a place to live.
After a year and a half of staying sober, Baen's life is turning around.
"My wife and I may be getting back together. We just spent two days together. We'll see where it goes from there," said Baen.
Baen is an articulate man who was a biomedical engineer for 25 years, until he started drinking. He ended up on the streets after losing his home and his common law wife of 18 years.
"She was with me the entire time that I had problems with my drinking," Baen said.
His former wife, who only wanted to be identified as Susie, lost track of Baen four years ago around the time he left and later became homeless. She feared he had died until a friend called after seeing him in an Eyewitness News story on homelessness.
Cpl. John DeCaprio works as a homeless liaison officer with Fullerton police. Susie told him she wanted to return the wallet Baen left behind years ago that contained documents needed to get a job. So DeCaprio orchestrated a reunion.
"Susie called me and said, 'My common law husband, I saw him on TV of 18 years and I want to help,'" said DeCaprio.
Baen, who becomes eligible for social security benefits next month, hopes to soon be able to rent an apartment and find work.
"I have hope now, I really do," he said.
