“I Knew There Was Someone Who Would Help”

One day in 1996, Kevin Owens walked out of his doctor’s office, a 23-year-old man saddled with a difficult-to-swallow diagnosis – he had multiple sclerosis.
Now, at 35, he’s a man still coming to grips with his illness.
“I feel lonely all the time,” he said. “Even when there’s a room full of people around me, I feel lonely.”
For years, Owens has been confined to a wheelchair, and has mostly relied on the help of his family and friends to survive. Currently, his nerve damage is so severe that he is unable to hold his 5-week-old daughter and was forced to
abandon his life’s passion of making artwork. Hanging on his living room walls are some of the last drawings he was able to create.
But through Meals on Wheels and More, Owens and his family were able to have what he described as “the most wonderful Christmas ever.” Adopted by the Southwest Lions Club, Owens and his family received gifts of clothes, shoes, furniture and other belongings.
“This was the best Christmas of my life,” Owens said. “I was helped because my kids were helped. And I was helped with the prettiest Christmas tree I’ve ever had.”
A year ago, Owens was having considerable trouble getting regular meals and keeping a healthy weight. He saw a TV ad for MOWAM and called. “I just felt like that was it,” he said. “I knew there was somebody who would help take care of me when I needed something to eat.”
For Owens, MOWAM has been integral in helping him to live independently. “Before, I used to depend on my friends, and I used to depend on my mother and my family. Now, I don’t have to,” he said. “Now, I am always fed. I am able to be more independent and that really helps me. It’s one thing I don’t have to worry about now.”