I am not financially stable enough, so I can’t go out and give $500,000 to a cause. But what I can do is raise awareness to something that can be changed. My story is one of pain, suffering, despair, and salvation. Here is my story and why I chose the #BackTheFight.
When I was 10 I was in and out of various foster homes and would run away and sleep on the streets. I remember in 1991 I was living in a park with 2 other youth. We did some things that I feel horrible about now. One of the kids had a tent that he stole and we would go and try to steal food. Some days we were so hungry and other days we feasted like kings.
There was nothing for us, nowhere to go but back to the abuse that we all tried to escape in the first place. We were arrested and placed right back in the care and abused/beaten for taking off in the first place. I was 11 years old and knew that things needed to change. I tried to change it but I couldn’t get the help. I tried to commit suicide and failed.
I was finally placed with a great foster family the Weber’s who gave me everything I could have ever asked for. I was 13 and they treated me like I was their own son. If I had my way I would have been adopted by them, but then I wouldn’t know who my father is, or my family that I have now. I wouldn’t have the story I have now.
I moved back in with my mother when I was 15 and the abuse started again. I ran away again. This time I was a bit ore street smart and started squatting in buildings as it was winter. I dropped out of school tried to get a job and hold it down being homeless, it was hard. At 16 I moved to British Columbia and stayed with my father. I went back to school and during the summer I worked hard. I played just as hard.
When I was 10 I was in and out of various foster homes and would run away and sleep on the streets. I remember in 1991 I was living in a park with 2 other youth. We did some things that I feel horrible about now. One of the kids had a tent that he stole and we would go and try to steal food. Some days we were so hungry and other days we feasted like kings.
There was nothing for us, nowhere to go but back to the abuse that we all tried to escape in the first place. We were arrested and placed right back in the care and abused/beaten for taking off in the first place. I was 11 years old and knew that things needed to change. I tried to change it but I couldn’t get the help. I tried to commit suicide and failed.
I was finally placed with a great foster family the Weber’s who gave me everything I could have ever asked for. I was 13 and they treated me like I was their own son. If I had my way I would have been adopted by them, but then I wouldn’t know who my father is, or my family that I have now. I wouldn’t have the story I have now.
I moved back in with my mother when I was 15 and the abuse started again. I ran away again. This time I was a bit ore street smart and started squatting in buildings as it was winter. I dropped out of school tried to get a job and hold it down being homeless, it was hard. At 16 I moved to British Columbia and stayed with my father. I went back to school and during the summer I worked hard. I played just as hard.
At 18 I moved away on a whim and ended up being homeless again. I lived on the streets of Calgary for a few months and it was there that I got my first taste of someone’s generosity while being homeless. I was panhandling and someone told me that they would not give me any money but would do me one better, He took me for supper. He took me to an all you can eat restaurant and I ate so much I puked.
I traveled back and forth between my fathers and mothers place a few more times until 2000. It was at that time I was injured in a serious accident and I stopped running away (sort of) and settled down. I stayed with my dad after my accident and got my feet on the ground. I moved back to Manitoba and stayed with my mother and got a job making good money. I was selling coupons door to door. I was making over $1000 a week. I was killing it.
They offered to move me and a bunch of my co-workers to Ontario to expand the Ottawa market. I moved to London, Ontario and things were still going good. Making lots of money but I was always broke. What I was making I was spending on the booze and drugs. I moved to Ottawa and the spiral had already begun in London was in full tilt and I was crashing hard. I was able to hold it off for about 3 months and then I was done. I was homeless again.
I was living in a tent along the water, panhandling enough to get high and drunk and sometimes to eat. I was a mess. I knew I needed to change and tried to get help. I asked for treatment but needed a place first, I asked for welfare but I needed a place, I was lost. I was at my end I told a friend that I was going to kill myself my jumping off of the Alexandra Bridge. They convinced me that they had a meeting and that they wanted to talk before I did anything stupid.
I was reluctant at first and they talked me into it. I went with them and they took me to this place outside the Rideau Center mall called Operation Go Home (changed to Operation Come Home). They went into an office and 2 or 3 minutes later this man named Tom came out and stood over me. He must have been 6’6” or taller and was a large man. He looked at me while towering over me and said “So you want to kill yourself?” I denied it; He scared the living shit out of me. He took me into the office and we talked. I broke down and started crying. I opened up about it all.
Tom and Ericka were there to talk to me. They took me to the hospital and made sure I met with a Doctor who would talk to me about everything. The next day I went back to OCH at Tom’s request. He and Ericka had something in the works for me. They helped me get a place, they helped me get on assistance, and they helped me get sober. That is when I learned that they were running a writing workshop. I took advantage of it. I helped write a book, get my feeling out there, and just become a new and better me.
It I because of OCH I got a second chance of life; It is because of OCH many youth got a second chance at life. They have arranged so many things for the youth. One of the programs they offered was to get run youth home to their families. And as the times change OCH is too. They have expanded their programs from just a drop-in center and outreach to now including schooling, outreach, drop-in and even more. Some of the programs they offer include a job center, housing help, money management, and that is just to name a few. And OCH does this all on private donations from people like you.
It is because of OCH I am able to stand here and tell you my story. I am able to take my children and tell them what daddy has endured in my life to be here for them. And because of OCH in the coming years I plan to give back one way or another. Next Christmas we will be doing Christmas dinner for not only OCH but the homeless in Ottawa. In the next 3 years I plan to ride across Canada to raise awareness of Homelessness and OCH is my reason for this. OCH is a place where you can go and feel safe.
It is because of them I will always #BackTheFight. Will you help back the fight? Go check out Operation Come Home’s website and maybe donate a cup of coffee to help others out.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and remember to #KeepTriing and #BackTheFight.
Chris
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