Todd Rolli Sleeps In The Trees And Bushes And On The Benches Of Key West.

 

By Susan Mitchell

 

Chemical dependency has wreaked havoc upon the life of Todd Rolli, He now sleeps in the trees and bushes of Key West or on the benches. Rolli longs to go back to Fort Wayne, Ind., and reunite with his son and 12- year-old granddaughter. “She needs to meet her granddaddy before she becomes an old woman,” said Rolli. “I want to see my family. I want to start my own business making custom Harley Davidson motorcycles. I want off the streets tomorrow,” he added. “I don’t want her to remember her grandfather as the homeless drunk who had to leave Fort Wayne, Indiana.”

Rolli earned an Associates Degree in Electronic Engineering from ITT Tech in Fort Wayne after graduating from high school in 1979. He married and had a son, Chad, with his first wife Loretta.

Rolli Joined the Air Force and became an Airman. After almost four years in the Air Force, he was discharged after three incidents of drug and alcohol use while on duty. He still gets military health benefits. 

He found Sally, his second wife, who was sober. She helped him became sober, and they married and owned a home together. Later, Todd’s second and a third marriage broke up. 

After seven years of sobriety, he started drinking a half gallon of Canadian Mist a day for almost six years. He worked as a journeyman maintenance mechanic throughout his sober and drunk years in Fort Wayne. While intoxicated at work, Rolli fell and cracked his skull, lost his job and became homeless.  Later, he worked for a traveling circus. After two tours through Florida, Rolli came to Key West 10 years ago.

“Alcohol is a demon, it will lie to you… it will beat you up until you are almost dead,” said Rolli.

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