CHASE CITY, Va. – With the Presidential Election less than three months away, voting is on many Americans’ minds. For two men in Mecklenburg County, casting their ballots this November is especially meaningful.
One of those men is 64-year-old Willie Gayles, who lives at Chase City Health and Rehab. In his small, tidy room, a piece of paper by his chair is his most prized possession. It’s a document that restored something he lost nearly 30 years ago: his right to vote.
Gayles lost this right after being convicted of a crime in 1996. He spent much of his 40s in prison and felt isolated without family or friends. After his release in 2009, he worked in Richmond as a builder and tried to leave his troubled past behind. However, he was still alone and struggled with health issues, including colon cancer and a toe amputation in January 2023, which led him to Chase City Health and Rehab.
There, Gayles found a sense of community and friendship, particularly with Ernest Robertson, who also lives at the facility. Robertson, now 73, was arrested at 42 for selling drugs and spent 18 months in jail. He struggled with substance abuse for years but found hope through his friendship with Gayles and the support of the nursing home’s staff, including Melissa Price, the Director of Admissions.
Both men were surprised to learn they could have their voting rights restored. The nursing home staff helped them apply, and a few weeks later, they received letters confirming their rights were reinstated. Both men proudly display these letters in their rooms. For Robertson, this means he now has a voice in society, something he felt he lacked before.
As Election Day approaches, Price plans to drive Robertson to the polls for his first Presidential vote in person. Gayles hopes to drive himself, as he is set to move into his own apartment soon but plans to stay connected with his friends at the nursing home.
For these two men, the nursing home has become a place where they feel alive and hopeful for the future. As Robertson put it, “Each one of us has our journey, but on our journey, we are supposed to learn something to pass on to somebody else.”