Greg'S SUPPORT TERM HAS ENDED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Q. Do you have any past experiences that you think may have contributed to your current situation?

I was born and raised here in Vancouver and had my first kid right when I was 13. I used to borrow my brothers semi-trailer and license and go around doing deliveries. I worked as a trucker and in the essential services for almost two decades. I was able to take care of myself and it got to a point where I could spend a few hundred a night and not worry about the next day. That's when I got a serious back injury, it cost me my job, and my mobility. I was wheelchair bound for a few years, and left without a steady income. For 3 years I lived in a back alley, rummaging for food and literally on the brink of death. I can tell you that most of most of the time I woke up thinking, “will today be my last day?” I managed to get a temporary home in one of the Eastside's many hotels. I lived there for almost 15 years and though I tried many times, I haven’t been able to build the relationship I once had with my wife and kids. I’ve gone through many jobs, but it’s difficult staying employed with a grade 7 education and a ton of health problems.

Q. What impact do you think a cellphone could have on your life?

Like many others here, I need a phone to stay in contact with my doctor, who’s recommending me for back treatment. I haven’t given up, and I’m still trying to pursue a job, so a cellphone would help me so much in that way. I want to have a stable life once again, I want to start communicating more with my kids, and though I may never live like before, I have to try my hardest to stay strong. That's what kept me alive, and that's what will keep me moving forward.