John Johnson (Part 2)

Institutionalized from the age of 5 to age 60, now living independently and working at an area restaurant.

One of the First Former Residents Who Lived and Worked Independently

(Run time 1:22)

You work at Red Lobster now?

Yeah. I enjoy it.

What do you do at Red Lobster?

I roll silverware, and when I go to visit, I go and visit them people around there who are handicapped. But I don't get paid for it though, but at Red Lobster I do.

Red Lobster isn't the first job that you had?

No.

What other jobs have you had?

I worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield as a dishwasher. I was trapped then in a group home, then someplace I was trapped in a home for a while, but these people didn't take care of me very well. Everything was, we were… because they don't bother.

So, now that you're living on your own?

I can come and go wherever I want to go.

And do you have independence?

I am my own guardian, and I enjoy it.