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How One Silicon Valley Woman Went From Child Prodigy To A Lifetime On The Streets

How One Silicon Valley Woman Went From Child Prodigy To A Lifetime On The Streets

GiGi has been on and off the streets since her family lost their business to the IRS when she was a teenager.

How One Silicon Valley Woman Went From Child Prodigy To A Lifetime On The Streets

She's lived in tents with abusive men, and throughout it all she says her dog Tara is the only thing that gave her reason to keep going.

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When we visited GiGi, she lived in this camp on Coyote Creek with a man named Dee who was just out of prison.

When we visited GiGi, she lived in this camp on Coyote Creek with a man named Dee who was just out of prison.

GiGi was showing Dee how to live homeless and in return his presence offered protection.

GiGi was showing Dee how to live homeless and in return his presence offered protection.

There was trash throughout the area, but in her camp the ground was swept clean.

There was trash throughout the area, but in her camp the ground was swept clean.

There were no toilets nearby. "Being homeless is easy," GiGi said. "Being bathroom-less is hard."

There were no toilets nearby. "Being homeless is easy," GiGi said. "Being bathroom-less is hard."

GiGi finally got lucky and received subsidized housing.

GiGi finally got lucky and received subsidized housing.

She was one of the lucky few here in Silicon Valley, as some are restricted in other ways.

She was one of the lucky few here in Silicon Valley, as some are restricted in other ways.

GiGi is now out of the Jungle. These are photos of her new apartment that she sent us.

GiGi is now out of the Jungle. These are photos of her new apartment that she sent us.

GiGi is one of the lucky ones.

GiGi is one of the lucky ones.

Check out our full coverage of the Valley's homelessness »

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