The Support That Helped Royce Start Again

After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1994 to 1998, Royce Nightenhelser returned home to build a life with his family. But in 2003, everything changed when he woke up in the hospital with amnesia—an unexplained medical event that left lasting gaps in his memory and set off a series of personal challenges. Years later, following a divorce and a knee injury that left him unable to work, Royce found himself without housing and spent months sleeping in his car before entering a shelter for Veterans in Fort Wayne.

At the shelter, Royce was introduced to Brightpoint and met Kera, a Family Development case worker who helped him stabilize his life. She supported him in finding an apartment, getting utilities turned on, and securing resources to furnish his new home. With her guidance and his determination, Royce found work and began rebuilding. He never forgot Kera’s support, calling her kindness “amazing” and saying it “blew [his] mind.”

Today, Royce’s life looks completely different. He has steady employment, owns his home, and has built a new chapter of stability and happiness. His gratitude to Brightpoint—and especially to Kera—remains deep and heartfelt. “I went from being totally homeless to where I am now. My life has completely turned around,” he says.