This is the first article in a Capital News series entitled 乌鸦传媒楿ntold乌鸦传媒�. In partnership with Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 Gospel Mission, these stories will feature people who are or have experienced homelessness in Kelowna.
Overnight, David Short lost everything.
Two years ago he was walking home from working at a restaurant in downtown Kelowna when he fell and hit his head. When he woke up in the hospital, doctors told him he had suffered a seizure and fractured his skull.
From that point on, his life was forever changed. He suffered from memory loss as well as the function in his hands.
Worst of all, he lost his job, causing his mental stability to deteriorate. He managed for a month, but with his bank accounts drained, he couldn乌鸦传媒檛 pay rent and resorted to living on the streets.
乌鸦传媒淲hen you lose all sense of your self-worth and your self-belonging and you乌鸦传媒檝e got no desire to do anything due to depression乌鸦传媒t plays with your mind,乌鸦传媒� Short said.
From chef to homeless, his life was turned upside down.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e had everything I ever wanted in my life and I lost it all because I had that health scare. And I乌鸦传媒檝e been trying to bounce back from that for the past couple of years.乌鸦传媒�
Despite all odds, Short is climbing back to where he left off.
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For the last eight months, he has taken shelter at the Gospel Mission in downtown Kelowna.
While there, he eased his way back into the kitchen by volunteering to make breakfast two times a week. He was eventually promoted to kitchen assistant.
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January 26 marks his third week cooking at the Gospel Mission and his 20th year as a chef.
Those staying at the Mission receive three meals a day. However, each day the Mission serves about 500 meals, through its outreach, winter shelter and Welcome Inn programs.
Thanks to the Gospel Mission and the opportunity to get back behind the stove, Short is on the road to recovery. Just recently, he moved into supportive housing.
乌鸦传媒淔or me personally, it was my drive. I乌鸦传媒檓 the type of person who likes to have a challenge in life乌鸦传媒� I always seemed to knock myself down, but always pick myself up,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淢y advice for somebody that乌鸦传媒檚 struggling with something, with their mental illness, is don乌鸦传媒檛 give up. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, you just have to work towards it.乌鸦传媒�
Short has emerged from the last two years a much different man.
乌鸦传媒淣obody really knows what it乌鸦传媒檚 like to be homeless乌鸦传媒� When you乌鸦传媒檙e on the streets, you have a different outlook on life. You have a way of survival. It乌鸦传媒檚 survival for most people out here.乌鸦传媒�
He described it as a completely different world, compared to what he had before, adding those who have never been involved with a shelter or giving back, take things for granted.
乌鸦传媒淚 think people should know that homeless people are just like everybody else. They乌鸦传媒檙e like one of us. Some people got (sic) different reasons why they乌鸦传媒檙e on the street. Mine was because of my health, and I wasn乌鸦传媒檛 taking care of myself.
乌鸦传媒淢y recommendation is don乌鸦传媒檛 judge before you walk in their shoes.乌鸦传媒�
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However, for Short, it乌鸦传媒檚 all up from here, as he claimed he乌鸦传媒檚 already hit his lowest low. What乌鸦传媒檚 more, he has big plans.
A year from now, he hopes to be teaching people experiencing homelessness how to cook. Most, he said, don乌鸦传媒檛 know how to boil water let alone cook a meal.
Now staying at Heath House, Short often shows the men there how to cook. Teaching people life skills through food has reunited him with a sense of purpose, something he lost two years ago.
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Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: phil.mclachlan@kelownacapnews.com
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