Some stories stay with you because they echo struggles we all fear. That’s how Marcus Graham’s journey feels — a reminder of how quickly life can change when the cost of living rises faster than we can keep up. Just a few years ago, he was a proud young homeowner building a future with his wife.

Things shifted when the pandemic hit and Marcus lost his job. Mortgage payments that once felt manageable grew heavier each month, especially as interest kept piling up. The stress chipped away at his health and confidence, and that pressure soon reached his marriage.

The turning point came when they slipped $32,000 behind on the loan, and the house had to be sold. Even though it sold for more than he paid, the money vanished into debt and fees. Alone in the empty home, Marcus felt everything he had built slowly slipping away.

After his marriage ended, he moved back in with his parents, grateful but heartbroken. He worked any job he could find, from warehouses to photography, but the rising cost of rent made every step forward feel uncertain. Even when he found a partner and a place to live, sudden eviction threw them back into fear.

Today, Marcus is starting over in a modest rental with a cautious sense of hope. He speaks up now for the “invisible people” caught in similar hardship, reminding us that many families are struggling quietly. And through it all, he holds onto one simple belief — that hope, even in small pieces, is still worth carrying.