‘How Would You Like to Come Home With Me?’: How One Woman Saved a Lonely Vietnam Veteran
After months in a hospital with nowhere to go, Michael finally found the home and family he needed
Key Takeaways
- Vilitha Clay welcomed Vietnam veteran Michael Cloyd into her Wisconsin adult family home.
- Inspired by her late mother, Clay opened Love, Recovery and Connections Inc. in 2024.
- The nonprofit provides private rooms, home-cooked meals and care for vulnerable adults.
When a Vietnam veteran had nowhere to turn after a hospital stay, one compassionate woman welcomed him into her home, giving him a place to belong — and sparking a mission that has since given many other heroes the family and safe haven they desperately needed. Here, they share their story with Woman’s World.
We’ve got to get you out of here, Vilitha Clay thought as she looked at Michael Cloyd, a frail, weary Vietnam veteran who had been stuck in a Wisconsin VA hospital for months with nowhere to go.
A Vietnam veteran with nowhere to call home
Michael, now in his 70s, had been struggling for years. A retired carpenter, he had lived in a trailer park that was nearly condemned because of bedbugs and rodents. He eventually moved into a motel, where he spent several months in a tiny room.
Life there was lonely and difficult. Michael frequently fell and injured himself, leading to repeated trips to the emergency room.
Then Michael suffered a mild stroke and spent four months at the VA hospital while staff searched for a permanent care home. But every option seemed to lead to a dead end.
That’s where Vilitha, a VA contractor, stepped in.
She could see how vulnerable and alone Michael was. He had no close family nearby to step up and offer a helping hand, and after spending so much time in the hospital, he still had nowhere to call home.
He’s been in the hospital so long with nowhere to turn, Vilitha thought.
Then she realized she might have the solution for his ongoing problem.
“How would you like to come home with me?” she asked. Michael gratefully said yes. He became the first resident of Love, Recovery and Connections Inc. (LRC), an adult family home Vilitha opened in Madison, Wisconsin, for veterans and other vulnerable adults.
Turning grief into a mission for veterans
Vilitha had dreamed for years of opening an adult family home. Her mother, Lawana Rita Coleman, had hoped to eventually move in with her daughter, but she died after a fall in 2021.
Heartbroken, Vilitha felt determined to fulfill her dream in her mother’s memory and opened LRC as an official nonprofit in 2024.
The home hosts three residents at a time, each with a private bedroom. Residents can stay at LRC for as long as they’d like, but if they need a higher level of care, they will move to a nursing facility. Home health aides and nurses provide additional care and rides to medical appointments.
When he moved in, Michael quickly began experiencing the difference a loving home could make in his life.
When he first arrived at LRC, even a hot, home-cooked meal seemed unfamiliar. On his first day, he looked at his plate at the kitchen table. “What’s this?” he asked. Vilitha smiled.
“Welcome to your new home, Michael,” she told him warmly.
A second chance at true family
Today, Michael has regular meals, a safe place to live and people who care about him. He’s truly become part of Vilitha’s family.
Since the start, Vilitha has impacted many other lives through LRC. She recalls a veteran who had significant mental illness, and after 13 months of care, his condition improved enough for him to move out and live independently.
“You mean the world to me,” residents often say to Vilitha. She feels the same way.
Michael remembers how lonely he felt before LRC. Now, when asked what Vilitha means to him, his answer is simple: “She is family.”
“Despite your background or circumstances,” Vilitha says, “everyone deserves a second chance at redemption, hope and support.”
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