A Jacksonville teen was a special guest on "Ellen" Tuesday after he was forced out of his home for being gay.
Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres was in disbelief upon hearing the story of Seth Owen, who essentially became homeless during his senior year at First Coast High School after his family found out about his sexuality.
"In my sophomore year of high school, my dad went through my phone and found out that I was gay and sent me to conversion therapy," said Owen to DeGeneres. "The dangerous part about that is that I believed this health care professional was doing what was best for me, and they didn't see any progress, so that was very depressing."
Owen told DeGeneres that conflict with his family escalated after he refused to attend his family's preferred church, and he soon found himself sleeping on friends' couches before moving in with his best friend's family.
Owen is now a student at Georgetown University and says he wouldn't want to be anywhere else, but he still keeps in touch with his estranged family.
"I've stayed in contact with them because, at the end of the day, they're still my parents," Owen said.
To watch First Coast News' original story on Seth Owen, click here.