Friends help Sudbury man find a home after living in an encampment

Once homeless, Sudbury man back on his feet CTV's Angela Gemmill has the story of how a Sudbury man who was living in an encampment managed to get back on his feet.

Glenn Thompson packs his E-bike to make the short trip back to the room he’s renting.

Just a few short weeks ago, he was living in a tent.

"People living rough and homeless can pull out of that rut no matter what, if they have addictions, no matter what," Thompson said.

"They can get the help they need. It’s there. All they have to do is accept it."

After an issue with his landlord in Sudbury, the 64-year-old moved to an encampment he set up in the woods. For two months his home was a tent, but then a medical issue forced him into the hospital for 10 days.

While in the hospital he discovered that his outdoor home had been destroyed. Thompson said the damage was done first by bears, then by other people also living outdoors.

But that’s when new friends in Capreol came to his rescue and helped him get back on his feet, including finding him a room to rent.

It was a kindness he will never forget.

"I hold on to those memories of -- no matter how big or how small these memories are it’s the people that I can keep my eyes open and picture them and thank them in my heart because of what they’ve given me," Thompson said.

He and some of his Capreol friends will be cleaning up his encampment site and Thompson said he wants others to learn from his experience with homelessness.

"Every one of them deserves what I got – help," he said.

"The help and the guidance and reassurances, all the things that were made … are available because there’s still stuff going on."

Thompson said despite moving into the woods to die, he now feels repurposed. His new mission is to thrive and survive so he can give back to the community that helped him.