Published: January 11, 2008 11:20 pm      

Getting back home

Danny Shaffer became homeless after moving to Indiana from Japan

Danny Shaffer spends his days looking for a job in a town where he doesn’t know a single soul. A few days before Christmas, the 47-year-old was dropped off at Emmaus Mission Center — a suitcase in hand. He says he never thought he’d end up in a homeless shelter.

Although he grew up in Anderson, Shaffer doesn’t consider Indiana his home. His home, where his wife, Akemi, and children currently are and where he lived for 20 years, is Japan, but Danny hasn’t been to the country for the past eight years.

Danny graduated from Temple University in Japan, and taught English at Showa University and the Japan Times. He came to Japan as a operations specialist in the Navy in his 20’s.

“I had no knowledge of Japan whatsoever,” he said. “I just wanted to see the world.”

Shaffer met his wife in Japan, and adopted two children.

Eight years ago, though, his wife, who retired early, told Danny she wanted to move to Indiana and live out in the country.

So the couple moved to Bowling Green, but about a year after they moved, Akemi developed breast cancer.

“She was really bad, so I quit my job to take care of her,” Shaffer said. “That was the beginning of the downward spiral.”

After a year, Akemi’s cancer went into remission, but with no income, the Shaffers lost everything, including their home, belongings and dogs.

“I was basically living on credit cards the whole time,” he said.

Last year, Akemi decided to move back to Japan, and Danny, who discovered that his mother, who lives in Indiana, was sick, decided to stay behind in the U.S. for a couple of months to work and make some money to bring back to Japan.

But things continued to spiral downward for Danny.

He was living with his mother at the time, but she went into a nursing home, leaving him without a home. At the same time, he was laid off from his job.

Danny relayed his situation to a pastor he had befriended at Monon Community Church, who suggested Danny stay at Emmaus Mission Center while he got back on his feet.

Danny said he’s trying to find a job so he can get money to go back to Japan, but the task hasn’t been easy.

He hasn’t seen his wife in over a year, but talks with her via e-mail everyday and on the phone once a week.

Danny said the experience of living in a homeless shelter has been a humbling one.

“I count my blessings,” Danny said. “Twenty years ago, I couldn’t imagine doing this, but I gave up my ego a long time ago.”

He said he has no regrets about the past eight years.

“She was worth it — coming out here,” Danny said about his wife.

When he returns to Japan, which he said he hopes will be by the spring or summer, Danny said he will begin looking for a home and expects to get his jobs back at Showa University and the Japan Times.

Currently, he is spending time online and talking to employment agencies in attempts to find a job. He also practices his Japanese often, and has written memoirs of his experience in the U.S.

He said he’s optimistic about the future.

“Something’s going to pop up,” he said. “What helps is knowing what I have to look forward to.”

Melissa Soria may be reached at (574) 732-5143 or melissa.soria@pharostribune.com