March 04, 2019
Highlighting Hope: Rory

Rory had been homeless for four years before finding his way to LOFT. During that time he struggled with substance abuse, and had been back and forth between living with his mother and living on the streets. Two years ago, his mother contacted LOFT, who got him into long-term housing, and his progress since then has been fast and remarkable.

He was assigned to a case manager, Eppie, who immediately identified his potential. His courage and determination were apparent to her from the start, and they realized that what he needed most was a support person to help him access the resources he needed, and to walk alongside him. Eppie helped him through the process of getting into housing and setting up appointments with doctors and counsellors, but “the rest Rory did on his own,” she said.

All roads to recovery have their challenges, and Rory’s was no exception. Though he was surrounded by support and encouragement, the transition was difficult from time to time. But experiencing setbacks can sometimes motivate us even more to reach our goals, which is exactly what happened to Rory. “I overdosed and that was scary,” he admitted. “I also had a friend overdose in my room. He was dying in front of me and Wilkinson staff administered Naloxone. This was a big shift in my life and my outlook. There were friends I had to let go of. If they are using they must be let go when you are doing your recovery.”

Rory loves cycling, and to help his recovery, Wilkinson staff set up a small shed in the backyard where he could work. He’s now a certified bicycle repair mechanic, and he owns and operates a small business. “Being able to
have this fledgling bicycle business was a huge part of being able to move away from the harmful substance abuse,” he said. “The business helps to keep me busy the goal is to have something to do. The business is a boost to my self-esteem.”

Rory’s tenacity and courage saw him through his journey to recovery, but he credits his success to his mom and to LOFT. “My mom is my best friend,” he told us. “We did not speak for years, but now we talk every day…my quality of life has gone up so much because of these guys. LOFT provided the safety and the support that allowed me to accomplish many other things on my own.”


LOFT’s Wilkinson Housing and Support Services runs a range of housing and support services for individuals aged 16 to 64, who are experiencing mental health challenges, substance abuse, social isolation and loneliness, and who have few opportunities for employment. These roadblocks often create situations of homelessness, and prevent people from living successfully in our community.