Thread by @boreskes

So I want to introduce you to a couple I've spent a lot of time with over the last few months. Lawrence and Carla McCue have been married for almost 31 years and live in their car with their dog Oreo.
latimes.com/local/la-me-ln…

For years they lived in their busted up Jeep out by LAX where Carla worked at one of the hotels. Each morning, she'd wake up, walk Oreo, get her husband set up and then head off to work. Lawrence would spend the day reading scripture and listening to music.

Carla last year retired to take care of Lawrence full time. He is in very poor health and living in a car didn't help. When @GenaroMolina47 + I first met them, his legs were badly swollen and he was really struggling. Here is Carla setting out the 10 diff pills he takes nightly.

Earlier this year the couple moved their car over to the VA Campus in Westwood and really never left. It was good, because it meant they were close to lots of Lawrence's doctors. There is also access to lots of other services and a safe place to park their car at night.

It's also where they met Sergio, who has been helping them look for a permanent housing solution. In the spring, he helped them apply for a unit in a building that was still under construction. This injected a lot of optimism into the McCue's lives.

They started to daydream about what they would hang on the walls and fantasize about the meals Carla would cook for Lawrence. Sergio also helped them get a 45-day motel voucher, which eased the strain on their lives. And that's where they waited and waited.

It's also where Sergio delivered the bad news a couple of weeks ago. Their application for this particular unit had been rejected. In the face of this crappy news, the McCue's--+ Carla in particular-- remain remarkably upbeat. They love their church where Lawrence plays bass.

Their motel voucher ran out on Friday, which means they've returned to the VA parking lot. Sergio is helping them search for another spot, but after months where their lives were freighted with anticipation and hope, the McCue's are back to square one.

There story was important to tell because it shows how difficult it can be to get off the streets and into housing. Even this couple who are getting a good amount of help, is struggling.

The McCue's told me they wanted the world to see what their lives were like, b/c maybe it will help bring more attention to this issue things. I thought that was incredibly admirable.

To many, people like the McCue's are invisible--you pass them in your car or on the street but your really have no idea. So thank you to them for letting me in and just being such good company.

Also kudos to @GenaroMolina47 for offering the just most stunning visual compliment to my story and being an amazing reporter in his own right. The pics make this story.

Thanks for following along. Email me if you got good ideas for what I should write about next. [e-mail] latimes.com/local/la-me-ln…

The response from readers to this story has been amazing and almost overwhelming. So many offers to help. The couple found a discounted hotel for 3 nights.

To help the McCue's, please email Tescia Uribe [e-mail]. She's coordinating all donations.

Also here's Oreo!

Here's 1 email I got yesterday. I really want to emphasize that these are the types of stories that make local newspapers essential. We are here to open your eyes and take you places you would never think to go. Keep reading and please consider subscribing latimes.com/subscriptions/

After years of illness, hardships and homelessness, the McCues finally have a place to call home. latimes.com/local/lanow/la…