{"id":4580,"date":"2023-04-11T16:28:12","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T15:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ie.depaulcharity.org\/?post_type=stories&p=4580"},"modified":"2023-04-11T16:40:02","modified_gmt":"2023-04-11T15:40:02","slug":"seans-story","status":"publish","type":"stories","link":"https:\/\/ie.depaulcharity.org\/stories\/seans-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Se\u00e1n’s Story"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Retired in Homelessness<\/h2>\n

Se\u00e1n never expected to find himself in this situation – retired in homelessness. He is one of the group of elderly people who Depaul is dedicated to supporting into their own home.
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When the Homeless Crisis Comes Knocking<\/h2>\n

After working hard his whole life, Se\u00e1n was looking forward to his hard-earned retirement. He wasn\u2019t well-off by any stretch. But he had enough, and he didn\u2019t want for much on his own. He didn\u2019t know it then, but within the year, Se\u00e1n would be homeless…<\/p>\n

It started, as it so often does, when his landlord asked him to move out. He searched and searched for somewhere he could afford on his retirement income but had no luck.<\/p>\n

As Ireland\u2019s decade-long housing crisis grows ever deeper amid the pandemic aftermath, it\u2019s a story we\u2019re hearing more and more. And it\u2019s pushing people like Se\u00e1n into homelessness. At almost 70 years of age, he never dreamed his retirement would see him in such dire straits.<\/p>\n

It was a sound he’d heard a thousand times before. But when Se\u00e1n closed his front door behind him for the final time that cold winter morning, the clunk of the latch felt like a slap. It was the moment he had to face the terrible truth \u2014 he was homeless.<\/p>\n

Homelessness and Poor Health<\/h2>\n

You can\u2019t help but feel a soft spot for Se\u00e1n the moment you meet him. He\u2019s an old-fashioned sort of fella. He wears a smart coat, walks with a stick, and has cloud-like white hair. He tells us he has \u201cbad eyes and bad lungs\u201d. But that doesn’t stop him smiling.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s only when he talks of being homeless that his expression turns to one of sorrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing homeless hit me like a storm cloud. The feeling of helplessness was overwhelming. It really knocked me for six.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He arrived at our Back Lane Hostel with nothing but a small suitcase, a carrier bag. And it’s thanks to you that its big red door was open to him on his very darkest day.<\/p>\n

Your kindness kept him going Se\u00e1n tried to stay busy. Mostly to keep his mind off things. He’d walk for hours, write letters, and apply for courses. But, he says, it was knowing that someone cared what happened to him, that you cared even though you may never meet him… that’s what gave him strength to keep going.<\/p>\n

Your steadfast support in these past pandemic years has helped Depaul move more people on from homelessness than ever before. And it was after around a year that Se\u00e1n got the wonderful news \u2014 a suitable home had been found for him.
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\u201cI immediately went out and got these big boxes of biscuits. I wanted to say thank you to everyone at the hostel, everyone who helped me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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A Home of His Own<\/h2>\n

If you could only hear the gratitude in Se\u00e1n\u2019s voice today, you would feel proud of all you\u2019ve given him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s wonderful here,” says Se\u00e1n of his little house. “I have everything I’ll ever need. In the morning, the sun comes through the back door. In the evenings, through the front. It\u2019s lovely.\u201d In a testament to how your actions of compassion create ever more kindness in this world, Se\u00e1n is looking to the future. \u201cI\u2019ve applied for a course on equality and human rights, and they just told me I\u2019ve been accepted.<\/p>\n

“I want to be useful. I want to help people in the same way you helped me… I\u2019m so grateful for it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Se\u00e1n was supported by our Back Lane<\/a> hostel.\u00a0<\/strong>To support people like Se\u00e1n, please donate to Depaul today. <\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

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