From prosperity to homelessness and back again

One man’s journeyLIME ROCK — In 2008 Peter Chiapetta was doing pretty well for himself, working as the chief financial and administrative officer for an equestrian travel business in Millbrook. The former hedge fund manager was happy to be out of that particular game and was enjoying living in the country.“When I started, the economy was still OK,” said Chiapetta, who now lives in Lime Rock. But in the fall of 2008, when the economy did its downward spiral, cancellations began to outnumber bookings, and by April 2009 the business was closed and Chiapetta was looking for work.“The financial services industry was such a disaster — nobody was hiring,” he remembered. So Chiapetta, in his early 60s, began networking like crazy.He found a couple of part-time teaching positions — as an adjunct professor at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Mount St. Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y., teaching both undergraduate and graduate economics.But that didn’t pay much.His living arrangement in Millbrook fell through, a casualty of the equestrian travel business’ demise, and by the summer of 2010 he was relying on “the equivalent of $100 per week in unemployment. And I qualified for Medicare.”He started “couch surfing” — he lived in housing provided by the Epsicopal church in Millbrook for a while, “and then I started spending a couple of weeks here and there.”Chiapetta is effusive in his gratitude for the friends and acquaintances who came to his aid — people he met through his volunteer work and social contacts.There were some dark moments. Asked if he despaired of ever getting back on his feet, he replied, “I couldn’t let myself go there. “I have three grown kids, and they never knew quite how bad it was. I heard about guys committing suicide, thinking it was the easy way out.“But I felt if I gave up it would have such a negative impact on my kids. I admit, I thought if I didn’t wake up it might be a good thing, but I never contemplated anything.”Instead he redoubled his efforts. “I was at the library every day, on the computer. I networked, called — that was my job.“I didn’t have money for gas and food sometimes. There is nothing more degrading and humiliating than borrowing money.”In addition to providing temporary shelter and pocket money, an ever-widening circle of friends offered moral support.“When we go through difficult times we sure learn who our friends are.”He summed up the period succinctly: “It was challenging, and it was terrible.”The tide started to turn when he responded to an ad from a Salisbury attorney, looking for a paraprofessional who also likes dogs.“She called me and said I was grossly overqualified for the job, but she was interested in the volunteer work I’ve done — in rehabs, hospitals, soup kitchens, you name it.”That in turn led to a deal on an apartment in Lime Rock.Slowly the pieces began to fall in place. Chiapetta began working as a substitute teacher for the Region One schools and delivering newspapers in Millbrook.Through his attorney friend he found some work with a valuation service. The Marist job dried up but the Mount St. Mary’s job remained in place.“It totally turned around.”Chiapetta just turned 62 and is now receiving Social Security. By the end of this month he will be off food stamps and Medicare and will be paying rent.“And now all the jobs I applied for earlier are calling back.”Chiapetta, relaxing after spending the day working as a paraprofessional in a kindergarten class, lit up when talking about substituting. “I am dumbfounded by the quality, the dedication” of the teachers he works with in his travels around the Region One School District.And he finds the work immensely rewarding. “Seeing one of these challenged kids do something successfully, and knowing I had a hand in it — it’s incredible.”Chiapetta, who told his story while working on a bowl of soup, pushed his plate away and considered the “So what was the big lesson of the last couple of years?” question.“People helped me — people I didn’t know that well. I guess the lesson is that while people will disappoint, it is more than offset by people showing up to help.”

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