One man’s tale from unhoused to college student

 

Chris Vega voluntarily chose to become unhoused. While it’s extremely rare for someone to say they’re unhoused by choice, Vega said his sense of adventure led to his decision.

“If I wanted to find myself, I had to go find myself,” Vega said. “And I couldn’t do that if I was with, you know, family or friends or people that I actually know. So I decided that I was gonna go and really claim my nomadic spirit.”

Most unhoused are by circumstances

With more than 771,000 Americans unhoused, nearly all are by circumstances, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. It’s rare that someone chooses to be unhoused, according to the Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative.

He felt stifled at home, unable to grow as a person, Vega said.

“I felt like I was depending on them so heavily that I couldn’t move without them,” Vega said. “And I couldn’t. I was really using that as an excuse to not get up and do anything for myself.”

Along the way, drug and alcohol abuse came into play, leading him to be unhoused regardless of choice, Vega said.

I met Vega while standing in line at Boomstock, an annual outdoor concert for Boomer Network, an Omaha classic pop music radio station whose playlist caters to the Boomer Generation, people born between 1946 and ’64.

‘Free spirit’

Vega, a Massachusetts native who spent several years of his youth in Orlando, Florida, found his way to Omaha as part of his travels. His self-described free spirit leads him where it leads him.

In Omaha for the past year, Vega enrolled at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and lives in student housing, finally having a home after about a decade on the road.

Seeking to become a screenwriter and create his own movies, Vega helps cover expenses through sales of his e-book, which focuses on adult sexual themes, and is available on Amazon.

“I’m really just learning the basics, basic writing, format, and the algorithm that I’m trying to put in my head to get to see how I want to put stuff downon  paper,” he said. “Because I can do storyline. I can do the skeleton, but I need to add meat. I need to make characters. I really want to see how they’re gonna interact, and the setting has to be correct. There’s a lot that goes into it.”

Lived in multiple cities

Before arriving in Omaha, Vega’s travels took him to Denver, San Francisco, and Austin, Texas, among other cities.

While in Denver, Vega said he experienced being transported to different parts of the city to spend his days. He had relatives in Colorado Springs, about an hour south of Denver, but didn’t want to stay with them.

“I wanted to be where no one knew me,” he said.

After a few months, Vega grew restless, so he left for San Francisco. He spent days identifying food banks or places to get a good meal, Vega said.

At night, not only did he have to watch out for other people, but animals posed a threat.

“I had to fight off raccoons,” Vega said. A grown raccoon can weigh 30-40 pounds, and they’ll come right at you. It wants your food or you’re in its area.”

While not an addict, Vega said he found himself drinking more than usual during his three years in San Francisco. He tried Fentanyl once, he said.

“Right now, if I’m gonna drink, it’s gonna be to celebrate something,” he said. “And I can drink differently now than back then, because back then I was just using it to fill a void, instead of facing myself. Now that I faced myself, I can drink and have a good time. San Francisco was good for me. As bad as it was, it was what I needed.”

Orlando return

Journeys across the United States after San Francisco took Vega to Augusta, Georgia, and a return to Orlando.

He declined to advise his family he was back in the city, but his brother found out and would check on him, Vega said.

“I was sleeping outside a Family Dollar,” he said. “My family would drive by, but not to check on me. They would take pictures, instead, and they sent them to my brother. He was the one who was doing the wellness check, and his roommate didn’t want me living in her house for some reason. I don’t know what the reason was, but I was OK. I didn’t want to do that again. I didn’t want to make it a thing where someone else is taking care of me.”

He worked at a local amusement park during his return to Orlando, Vega said. After about six months, he was off to another city.

Stand-up comic

He eventually landed in Austin, where he tried his hand at stand-up comedy.

“That was pretty fun,” Vega said. “I had to get the jitters out. I had to, because I’m not a person who likes attention like that. I don’t like the spotlight. Being on stage, doing stand-up. I had to get it out.”

After a few months in Austin, Vega got itchy again and hit the road, landing in Augusta, Georgia, for a brief time.

Welcome to Omaha

He made his way to Omaha in mid-2025. After briefly living on the street, he found shelter at the Sienna Francis House.

“It was after a guy got stabbed on the street,” Vega said.

Deciding to settle in Omaha, at least for now, Vega enrolled in a writing program at UNO and moved into student housing. For the first time in years, Vega had a home.

How long he’ll be in Omaha is likely up to the universe, Vega said.

“For as long as I’m supposed to be, I guess,” he said. “Right now, my wants aren’t relevant. It’s as long as my needs are met. My wants are up to me. I’m here for as long as I’m supposed to be. Not a minute later.”

With nearly a decade of life on the road, Vega said he’s gained insight and material for writing projects. Things have worked out as they should, he said.

“I don’t regret anything that I’ve done in terms of stuff not working out,” Vega said. “It taught me what I didn’t want. Who I wasn’t, as opposed to who I am or who I want to be, or who I thought I am. I’m just learning to not be so hypercritical of myself, not be so down, not to beat myself up so hard.

“I got one thing accomplished today, just like yesterday. I was so happy. I got my laundry done yesterday. If anything, I got my clean clothes. And that’s what helped me to feel good about myself.”