FORT MYERS, Fla. - The national news media is calling a Fort Myers woman "the face of the economic crisis."

Henrietta Hughes asked President Obama for help at his town hall meeting. Since then she has gained nationwide attention.

By the time she hit her 60's, Henrietta Hughes thought she'd be getting ready to retire. But life dealt the 61-year-old an unexpected hand now she says she's disabled and homeless.

Just as she was ready to give up fate intervened in a big way!

"I'm homeless, I need a job and I'm tired of sleeping in that little bitty truck. I want my own kitchen. My own bathroom," Henrietta said.

Hughes wanted the American dream! But at age 28 the dream was put on hold. Diagnosed with breast cancer, she had a mastectomy. It would be the first of many health hurdles.

Over the years she would battle cancer several more times.

"That's when he gave me up to die. There was no hope," she said.

Hope had run out. She says she became disabled. Eventually she and her son lost their Lehigh Acres home.

"He lost his job so we had to give the house back to the bank," Hughes said.

That was in 2003. Since then they have lived in a truck.

"I would turn my face from my son and sit in the vehicle and cry and say Lord please help us. Please help us," she said.

Henrietta says help from the Government turned out to be a dead end.

"I get a referral from this person that person until there was no more referrals to go."

Then on Sunday her life changed. She heard the President was coming to town. Like hundreds of others, she stood in line for more than twelve hours to get tickets. It paid off, she was able to ask the President for help. President Obama's response surprised her.

"When he took my hand, and he kissed me on the right cheek. I felt like the Lord had heard my cry and answered my prayer," she said.

The President promised to help her.

"I've cried a lot of nights. but I'm still looking for that better day and it is right around the corner."

In addition to people offering money, Representative Nick Thompson's wife offered the Hughes a home to live in rent free and a Fort Myers Police Officer paid for her to stay in a hotel for three nights.

Henrietta does have family living in Fort Myers. We asked why she doesn't stay with them. She said she didn't want to discuss it.

Henrietta is touring Rep. Thompson's home in LaBelle on Thursday morning.