Stories

A second chance to live

On December 27, 2005, Gary (affectionately known as “Tiny”) hit rock bottom. A big, amiable truck driver in his mid-fifties who had been married for more than 27 years, he had just gone through a divorce that left him homeless, penniless, alone and deeply depressed.

I was on the street, it was cold, and I didn’t know what to do. I phoned my uncle, he’s a retired police officer who lives in Prince Edward Island. He said ‘Go to the Good Shepherd. I know the Brothers; they’ll give you a place.’

So I went to the Good Shepherd. I took with me a bottle that had rat poison, weed killer and other things, and I thought, ‘If my uncle’s not right and I can’t get a place to stay here, I’ll go to Bluffers Park and drink this and I’ll be dead in three minutes.’ But I met a gentleman on the ramp that I knew, and I got a bed next to him.

I started working with the staff in the Resettlement Program (housing help) to get Employment Insurance so I could find housing. But then in February 2006, they sent me to St. Michael’s Hospital. I had pleurisy and pneumonia and it looked like I had kidney stones. It turned out I was in the first stage of leukemia. They phoned my Resettlement worker and Father Ed, and they told them, we don’t know if he’s going to make it. I was in hospital a lot of days.

When I came back to Good Shepherd, I was in rough shape. Kathleen in the medical clinic arranged for me to stay in and rest during the day, helped me with pills and medication. The staff noticed what I needed and took care of it – three pillows on my bed because I have an old neck injury, extra blankets.

When they got big clothes in the clothing room, they hung on to them for me. I talked a lot to Sister Joan (Director of Pastoral Care) and Father Ed. The care from the staff keeps your spirits up.

I didn’t know how I was going to survive, I didn’t have any money. But the Resettlement staff put my papers in for ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program). They rushed the ODSP through because of the cancer.

I missed my first chance at housing when I was in the hospital, but in October 2006, an apartment came up. I signed the lease, but they had a lot of work to do on the apartment, so I didn’t move in until January.

I’m very happy with my housing. It’s a big bachelor, big enough that if I need to use a walker or a wheelchair later, I can do that.

Some days are good, some days I can’t even get out of bed. The Resettlement staff check in on me.

I know if I hadn’t come to Good Shepherd, I wouldn’t be alive today. Keep up the good work!