News

Images: Tweeting To Find a Home

 
Posted12/30/2011 12:01 AM
hello
AnnMarie Walsh posts information on her social media account at the Arlington Heights Public Library in Arlington Heights on Wednesday, September 21st.
  AnnMarie Walsh posts information on her social media account at the Arlington Heights Public Library in Arlington Heights on Wednesday, September 21st.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh talks about being homeless in Arlington Heights for years and spending most of her time at the train station and library while sleeping in an alley in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights near the train station.
  AnnMarie Walsh talks about being homeless in Arlington Heights for years and spending most of her time at the train station and library while sleeping in an alley in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights near the train station.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh was featured in a June 2010 issue of Streetwise magazine. The story was about Walsh's tweets from the streets of Arlington Heights.
AnnMarie Walsh was featured in a June 2010 issue of Streetwise magazine. The story was about Walsh's tweets from the streets of Arlington Heights.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
Dilip Patel, owner of Gateway Newsstand in the Arlington Heights Metra Station, visits with AnnMarie Walsh.
  Dilip Patel, owner of Gateway Newsstand in the Arlington Heights Metra Station, visits with AnnMarie Walsh.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh receives a hug while visiting Mark Rouse, owner of Runners High 'n Tri, for the first time since Walsh was homeless and slept behind the store in downtown Arlington Heights for five-years. Rouse, arriving to work, would leave Walsh energy bars and bottles of water as she slept in her sleeping bag on concrete in an Arlington Heights alley.
AnnMarie Walsh receives a hug while visiting Mark Rouse, owner of Runners High 'n Tri, for the first time since Walsh was homeless and slept behind the store in downtown Arlington Heights for five-years. Rouse, arriving to work, would leave Walsh energy bars and bottles of water as she slept in her sleeping bag on concrete in an Arlington Heights alley.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh posts messages on her Facebook and Twitter accounts using her laptop at the Arlington Heights Metra Station on Wednesday, September 21st.
  AnnMarie Walsh posts messages on her Facebook and Twitter accounts using her laptop at the Arlington Heights Metra Station on Wednesday, September 21st.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh enters her room at Marah's Program at Deborah's Place, a supportive housing organization building, on the north-side of Chicago on Tuesday, December 20th. Walsh was homeless in Arlington Heights and other suburbs for about five years prior to getting temporary housing and then Deborah's Place in April.
AnnMarie Walsh enters her room at Marah's Program at Deborah's Place, a supportive housing organization building, on the north-side of Chicago on Tuesday, December 20th. Walsh was homeless in Arlington Heights and other suburbs for about five years prior to getting temporary housing and then Deborah's Place in April.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh's twitter account @padschicago has over 36,000 tweets to over 4,082 followers. Walsh said she uses a graphic from a photograph of the concrete wall she slept next to in Arlington Heights as the background image for her most of her social media accounts.
AnnMarie Walsh's twitter account @padschicago has over 36,000 tweets to over 4,082 followers. Walsh said she uses a graphic from a photograph of the concrete wall she slept next to in Arlington Heights as the background image for her most of her social media accounts.
Screen Grab from Web
AnnMarie Walsh walks to the Metra Station in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, December 20th.
AnnMarie Walsh walks to the Metra Station in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, December 20th.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
Mark Rouse, owner of Runners High 'n Tri, gives AnnMarie Walsh an energy bar for nostalgic seasons as she visits with him for the first time since Walsh was homeless and sleeping between the store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in downtown Arlington Heights for five years. Rouse provided Walsh with energy bars when she was homeless.
Mark Rouse, owner of Runners High 'n Tri, gives AnnMarie Walsh an energy bar for nostalgic seasons as she visits with him for the first time since Walsh was homeless and sleeping between the store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in downtown Arlington Heights for five years. Rouse provided Walsh with energy bars when she was homeless.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
In 2009, while homeless in Arlington Heights, AnnMarie Walsh was invited to be a guest speaker at the 140 Characters Conference in Los Angeles. A sponsor provided transportation and accommodations for her to speak at the twitter annual conference that explores emerging real-time internet chatter on people, business, and entertainment.
In 2009, while homeless in Arlington Heights, AnnMarie Walsh was invited to be a guest speaker at the 140 Characters Conference in Los Angeles. A sponsor provided transportation and accommodations for her to speak at the twitter annual conference that explores emerging real-time internet chatter on people, business, and entertainment.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh speaks at the Metra Station in Arlington Heights .
AnnMarie Walsh speaks at the Metra Station in Arlington Heights .
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh uses her cell phone to check a post on twitter from the Arlington Heights Metra Station on Wednesday, September 21st.
  AnnMarie Walsh uses her cell phone to check a post on twitter from the Arlington Heights Metra Station on Wednesday, September 21st.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh uses the moniker @padschicago for her Twitter account and uses a photograph of the cement that she slept next to in Arlington Heights as the background image.
AnnMarie Walsh uses the moniker @padschicago for her Twitter account and uses a photograph of the cement that she slept next to in Arlington Heights as the background image.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh walks down the stairs from her second-floor room at Deborah's Place in Chicago.
AnnMarie Walsh walks down the stairs from her second-floor room at Deborah's Place in Chicago.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh posts a tweet using her laptop at the Arlington Heights Metra Station on Wednesday, September 21st.
  AnnMarie Walsh posts a tweet using her laptop at the Arlington Heights Metra Station on Wednesday, September 21st.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh checks her social media accounts from her room at Marah's Program at Deborah's Place, a supportive housing organization building, on the north side of Chicago on Tuesday, December 20th.
AnnMarie Walsh checks her social media accounts from her room at Marah's Program at Deborah's Place, a supportive housing organization building, on the north side of Chicago on Tuesday, December 20th.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh pauses a moment after pointing out the concrete area, on far right, in the alley between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in downtown Arlington Heights where she slept in her sleeping bag for five-years ending about a year ago.
AnnMarie Walsh pauses a moment after pointing out the concrete area, on far right, in the alley between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in downtown Arlington Heights where she slept in her sleeping bag for five-years ending about a year ago.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh checks her social media accounts using the free wi-fi in the Metra Station in Arlington Heights.
AnnMarie Walsh checks her social media accounts using the free wi-fi in the Metra Station in Arlington Heights.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh points out the concrete area in the alley between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in downtown Arlington Heights where she slept in her sleeping bag for five years.
AnnMarie Walsh points out the concrete area in the alley between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in downtown Arlington Heights where she slept in her sleeping bag for five years.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh, with her laptop backpack, leaves Deborah's Place in Chicago for a day trip to Arlington Heights on December 20th.
AnnMarie Walsh, with her laptop backpack, leaves Deborah's Place in Chicago for a day trip to Arlington Heights on December 20th.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh points out the walkway, at right, between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in downtown Arlington Heights where she slept in her sleeping bag for five years.
AnnMarie Walsh points out the walkway, at right, between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in downtown Arlington Heights where she slept in her sleeping bag for five years.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh said residents in the building above the Runners High 'n Tri store in Arlington Heights would bring food and sometimes left-over dinner for her.
AnnMarie Walsh said residents in the building above the Runners High 'n Tri store in Arlington Heights would bring food and sometimes left-over dinner for her.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh, with her laptop backpack, walks out of Deborah's Place in Chicago for a day trip to Arlington Heights on December 20th.
AnnMarie Walsh, with her laptop backpack, walks out of Deborah's Place in Chicago for a day trip to Arlington Heights on December 20th.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh slept in a sleeping bag on the concrete in the alley between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in Arlington Heights.
AnnMarie Walsh slept in a sleeping bag on the concrete in the alley between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in Arlington Heights.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
At the far right is the spot AnnMarie Walsh slept for years in the alley between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in downtown Arlington Heights.
At the far right is the spot AnnMarie Walsh slept for years in the alley between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in downtown Arlington Heights.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh checks the train schedule to Chicago at the Metra Station in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, December 20th.
AnnMarie Walsh checks the train schedule to Chicago at the Metra Station in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, December 20th.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh visits with Mark Rouse, owner of Runners High 'n Tri, for the first time since Walsh was homeless and slept behind the store in downtown Arlington Heights for five years.
AnnMarie Walsh visits with Mark Rouse, owner of Runners High 'n Tri, for the first time since Walsh was homeless and slept behind the store in downtown Arlington Heights for five years.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh points out the concrete spot in a driveway leading into a walkway alley between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in Arlington Heights where she slept in a sleeping bag for five years.
AnnMarie Walsh points out the concrete spot in a driveway leading into a walkway alley between the Runners High 'n Tri store and Vail Avenue Parking Garage in Arlington Heights where she slept in a sleeping bag for five years.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh gets a hug while visiting Mark Rouse, owner of Runners High 'n Tri, for the first time since Walsh was homeless and slept behind the store in downtown Arlington Heights for five years. Rouse, arriving to work early, would leave Walsh energy bars and bottles of water as she slept.
AnnMarie Walsh gets a hug while visiting Mark Rouse, owner of Runners High 'n Tri, for the first time since Walsh was homeless and slept behind the store in downtown Arlington Heights for five years. Rouse, arriving to work early, would leave Walsh energy bars and bottles of water as she slept.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh checks her social media accounts using the free wi-fi at the Metra Station in Arlington Heights. Walsh uses the moniker padschicago for her Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and WordPress accounts to bring awareness to the homeless in Chicago, the suburbs, and throughout the U.S
AnnMarie Walsh checks her social media accounts using the free wi-fi at the Metra Station in Arlington Heights. Walsh uses the moniker padschicago for her Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and WordPress accounts to bring awareness to the homeless in Chicago, the suburbs, and throughout the U.S
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
AnnMarie Walsh walks from the Arlington Heights Library to the train station in Arlington Heights on Wednesday, September 21st.
  AnnMarie Walsh walks from the Arlington Heights Library to the train station in Arlington Heights on Wednesday, September 21st.
George LeClaire | Staff Photographer
Related Coverage
Twitter use turns homeless woman into a social media celebrity
Related Article
Twitter use turns homeless woman into a social media celebrity
 

Get articles sent to your inbox.

Article Comments ()
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the X in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.