{"id":4322,"date":"2022-11-25T10:49:04","date_gmt":"2022-11-25T10:49:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ie.depaulcharity.org\/?post_type=stories&p=4322"},"modified":"2023-01-27T10:38:49","modified_gmt":"2023-01-27T10:38:49","slug":"martins-story","status":"publish","type":"stories","link":"https:\/\/ie.depaulcharity.org\/stories\/martins-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Martin’s Story"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Terrifying. Horrific. Dehumanising. These are the words Martin uses when he describes his years as a homeless man. But after almost a decade of despair and too many freezing cold sleepless nights to count, Martin is home at last thanks to your kindness. <\/strong><\/p>\n

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Is there a moment that a person becomes \u2018homeless\u2019? For Martin, there was… And even though he could see that moment coming down the tracks, closer and closer every day, he couldn\u2019t seem to stop it. \u201cThe landlord said he needed the place back, and that\u2019s where it all started. Within two months, I was homeless.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Life on the Streets<\/h2>\n

Martin is a smiley man, but when he talks about his time on the streets \u2014 nine years of misery all told \u2014 his expression falls, and the colour drains from his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember that first night I slept on the street. I was terrified, absolutely terrified.\u00a0I\u2019m getting upset now even just thinking about it\u2026\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When you\u2019re homeless, the Irish winter is a war… a struggle to survive. Martin says that on the coldest days, he used to get on the bus just to stay warm. He\u2019d wander around all night sometimes, too scared to sleep. You can imagine the psychological and physical toll it would take on you.<\/p>\n

Too worried to fall asleep in case you don\u2019t open your eyes again in the morning. It\u2019s a torture Martin knows all too well. There were times, Martin says, that he felt suicidal\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to take my life twice when I was on the streets. I can\u2019t lie to you, there\u2019s no point in lying about it. That\u2019s what it does to you.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Finding Hope and Warmth with Depaul<\/h2>\n

When Martin turned to Depaul, he was frozen to the bone and at rock bottom. But with Depaul\u2019s support, he found the strength to go on, and to find hope again.<\/p>\n

Martin is forever grateful to Depaul supporters for believing in him, even when he didn\u2019t believe in himself\u2026<\/p>\n

“I had a horrible life until you guys stepped in. Depaul has changed my life. It\u2019s changed my family. It\u2019s changed everything. Without your help, I don\u2019t know if I\u2019d even be alive. That\u2019s not being dramatic, it\u2019s true!”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

At Depaul people like Martin receive not only the relief of a warm bed, clean clothes, and a belly full of food. But here there\u2019s restored dignity, faith in humanity, and hope that faded long ago.<\/p>\n

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“I love going home”<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s been a long and winding road home, but Martin now holds the keys to his very own front door in his hands.<\/p>\n

“If it wasn\u2019t for caring people who support Depaul, I don\u2019t know if I would have made it another year homeless… I really appreciate what you’ve done for me. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Depaul changed my life.”<\/p>\n

“You wouldn’t believe how incredible it feels to have front door keys,” says Martin. “I haven\u2019t had keys for 9 years. It took me a few weeks to settle in. But now I love it. I can cook my own food, I have my own bed, and I don\u2019t wake up in fear anymore! I really thank you\u2026 I really, really do, from the bottom of my heart.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

To support other people like Martin, donate today\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Donate Now<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n<\/svg>\n<\/div> <\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":4418,"template":"","class_list":["post-4322","stories","type-stories","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"Martin's Story - Depaul Ireland<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n