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Jerald Gillens-Butler journey from homeless to Hinkle

For Jerald Gillens-Butler, the bench at Hinkle Fieldhouse isn't a bad place to be. David Woods/IndyStar

INDIANAPOLIS — Butler’s bench is an oasis compared to where basketball player Jerald Gillens-Butler once sat.

When his mother went to prison – for the second time – relatives drove 5-year-old Jerald from Florida to South Carolina He slept on the floor of a crowded van for the seven-hour trip to his temporary new home.

After his mother was released about a year later, they were homeless in Orlando, Fla.