Living a new life

Less than two weeks after getting married, Culpeper couple Roger and Cathy Renshaw faced their first serious challenge.

On Sept. 4, Roger, 54, escaped serious injury in a traffic accident in Fauquier County that police said could have been much worse. A large piece of metal cargo came loose from another vehicle, hitting Roger’s van, destroying the front end.

He escaped alive, but bruised, shaken up and burned from the force of the airbag.

“Instead of enjoying the rest of our lives together, she’d be burying me,” Roger said as he glanced over at his wife.

But challenges are nothing new for Roger. A few years ago, a series of bad breaks and bad choices left him homeless and alone. Now, things are looking up — he’s got a good job and, more importantly, a great family.

His wife says she didn’t think she had a chance to take their relationship further.

“When I first met Roger, I thought he was already married,” Cathy said with a laugh. They got engaged on Christmas Day and married Aug. 22.

Roger attributes the successes in his life to faith, friends and family.

“I have such a great support group,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for better people.”

He sat down recently with some friends to reminisce about his experiences during the last few years.

A Navy veteran from 1973 to ’75, he worked as a truck driver for nearly two decades — work that contributed to several health problems, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and arthritis. Despite the pain, he worked for three days readying the Culpeper American Legion hall for his wedding in late August.

“I was about ready to fall out,” he said, “But it’s worth it.”

His problems also included several run-ins with the law. He spent some time in prison for financial crimes, according to court records.

“When I picked him up at Coffeewood (Correctional Center), he had $25 in his pocket, still had his prison uniform on, no place to stay,” said Mark Jarvis, founder of Culpeper-based Champion Learning Centers, a re-entry program for inmates.

“Really no relationship to anybody,” Jarvis continued. “I remember Roger told me, ‘I don’t have a friend in this world.’

“Now, the guy’s got probably 50 people he could pick up the phone right now and call and say, ‘Help me’ — and that’s the kind of relationship he’s built. Roger’s proven that anybody can do it if you just work hard and treat people right.”

After spending time at the Compassion House — a small, privately run Brandy Station home for veterans — Renshaw obtained a job doing maintenance for Lite Cellular, a regional phone service company owned by Russell Boswell.

“I’ve worked with some wonderful people, and they took a chance on me when no one else would,” Renshaw said. “I’ve gone from being maintenance man to top sales.”

“Five months in a row,” Boswell added.

“Our bills are paid every month,” Renshaw continued. “Everything we have I own. … People can do it. You’ve got to be willing to go the extra mile.”