Category: Portrait Bio

Tim blames the guards. 

Tim was tall, thin and perpetually scruffy. Some people nicknamed him Clampet, after the character Jed Clampet from the Beverley Hillbillies. 

I used to drive Tim to the local Native Reserve to pick up cheap cigarettes every couple months. We had lots of great discussions about everything from our lives, politics and life in prison. When he was younger Tim had seen a lot of the world and frequently vacationed in Jamaica – he had a great system for doing it very economically. He would get a cheap flight there and then just wonder from resort to resort mooching whatever free stuff he could get. He was very good at making excuses when confronted, “I’ll go get my wrist band from my room and be right back!” he would tell them. Eventually they would catch on and he would move on to the next all-inclusive resort. 

Tim had been a long haul trucker most of his life and he had lots of great stories about his adventures while driving around most of North America. He certainly got around and in some ways his life really was a great adventure. 

My favorite Tim story happened when he was staying at “The Farm” a minimum security prison in Brandford. Ontario. Tim had been working in the field all day and was getting tired so he snuck up on the roof of one of the buildings to have a cigarette. It was a common place where inmates would sneak off for a little privacy. After his cigarette Tim was relaxing and drifted off into a nap. A while later he was rudely interrupted by the prison alarm bells going off. Tim climbed down and complained to one of the guards about the racket and they told him to get to his cell because the prison was on emergency lock-down after someone had escaped. Turns out Tim had missed roll call and they thought he had escaped.

To this day Tim says it was the guards fault for doing such a crappy job of keeping track of the prisoners. 

Daniel is tall, like really tall, but he is also very quiet and respectful. 

I love Daniel’s warm and friendly humor. He peppers conversations and greetings with an inviting and kind sense of humor, make you smile without insulting you.

Daniel understands conversation – not only is he willing to share his story but he also asks great questions. He listens to what you say, he isn’t just waiting for his turn to talk. 

In my memories of Daniel he is always wearing a toque – all winter and all summer. I suppose I may have seen him without his toque, but I just can’t imagine him without it.

The perpetual babushka.

I don’t think that I have ever seen her without a scarf on her head.

Nora cared about her homeless son and she was always looking for ways to help him. He had some serious issues, but Nora saw past those and just wanted the best for her son. 

Nora had a great sense of humour and she joked with me all the time. There was a twinkle in her eyes and despite leading a difficult life she was always ready to smile.  

Twila has a big personality!

She loves to joke and laugh. She wants you to understand that life is to be lived out loud without reservation.

Twila is married to Chris and together they are working to make a better life for themselves. It hasn’t been easy but she has persevered and despite the occasional set back they are making steady progress. 

Twila has a magnetic personality and when I knew her she made friends easily. She cares deeply about people in need and has worked hard over the years to help others.  

I appreciate Chris’ open blatant honesty.

Chris is one of the best read people I have ever met. We can go deep into almost any topic and Chris can site knowledge he has gained through reading about that topic. He rattles off authors and books with ease that I have never heard of. He was a philosophy major when he left school early and but he still retains a wealth of knowledge about philosophy. 

Chris is also very good at discerning the message behind the message. We attended the Cambridge Vineyard together for a while and we often discussed some of the deeper implications of the weekly sermons. He saw things that others missed. 

Chris is a good friend. He moved away several years ago, but being a good friend he does a good job of keeping in touch and is always up for a long phone chat to catch up and dig into some heavy topic.

Life has not always been easy for Chris so it has been great to see how far he has come to put his life back together. Not too long ago he was living on the street, today he is married, working and feeling much better about himself. He is not done yet but his story could be an inspiration to many.  

A force of nature. 

When I first met Mary she was guarded and tough. She was like a force of nature and exuded an air of “don’t f*** with me.” Everyone, everyone respected Mary and were maybe a little afraid of her. 

I will never forget my first conversation with Mary, she asked me some questions and I gave her a joking response, she did not laugh, she looked me in the eye, stared for a few seconds and dismissed me with, “Smart ass.”

During her many years at Urban Hope she learned to trust people and our kindness and unconditional love wore on her. Over time it softened her heart.

Her humour and kindness grew and by the time I left Urban Hope she had become a hugger. 

Mary has led a colourful life, someone should write a book about her. She has so many great stories about her past and her life with her husband Howard. 

She maintains her dual Canadian/US citizenship and she also has many stories about her time serving in Florida with the US Marines. She had some dramatic experiences as the Marine’s first female sniper. Like the time in Sarajevo when she risked a court martial trying to force her unit to save some women and children. She often placed the needs of others ahead of her own. 

Howard. Oh Howard! Such an interesting and complex guy. 

He loves watching wrestling almost as much as he loves his wife of many years, Mary. 

First thing you need to know about Howard is that he is not a mean and angry guy, but he likes to play that part, but it is all just a big joke to him. His deep deep humour informs almost everything he says and does – like telling the volunteers at Urban Hope that I have been banned from Urban Hope, and as they look on confused Howard cracks a smile and laughs – they fell for that old joke again. 

But he wasn’t always that way.

When I first got to know Howard he could be pretty grumpy. Then he got COVID, really badly. He was hospitalized and in a coma for about 6 months. After he recovered we talked about it, and I felt he was holding something back, something important. The conversation went something like this:

Me: So what happened?

Howard: I had pneumonia and then got COVID. They said I was going to die so they put me into a coma.

Me: So did you die?

Howard: Well I’m here now.

Me: Seriously, I know about this stuff, tell me what happened.

Howard: (Uncomfortable at first but then visibly relieved at being able to tell his story.) Well it was all black then it got bright and I was with my dad (Howard’s father has been dead for years) and some of my aunts and uncles. It was really nice and I wanted to stay with them but then they told me I had to go back for Mary (Howard’s wife) so I came back. 

From that time forward Howard was calmer, more at peace, more loving. His humour, which could be  caustic, became mild and inviting. 

Howard has become very good at hugging and listening and smiling. 

Roache’s huge laugh boomed out from his belly and could fill any room.

A native of Newfoundland, Roche was proud of his French-Canadian name. He loved to tell jokes and make others laugh. He also had a deep, rich singing voice and a very generous heart.

Roche and I had many deep, serious talks, and he was always interested in “going there.” He never shied away from difficult conversations. He loved Urban Hope and would spend hours there chatting with guests and volunteers.

His family was important to him, and he dreamed of returning to Newfoundland “someday,” and I hope he makes it.

Roche loved his cowboy hats and outlaw attitude. When I first got to know Roche, he was living in an Airstream trailer parked in a commercial trucking lot and that really suited him. After a serious bout of cancer the regional government got him into a townhouse. He was thankful, but he missed living in his trailer. I think that trailer better suited his rugged, independent, cowboy-philosopher persona. 

Loved to tell stories about his life.

Like the time he was in a very serious car crash as a child and he managed to get on a truck driver’s CB radio and called for help. He remembers sitting up in the cab of that truck while others worked to rescue people from the wreck. According to Ace dozens of semi trucks answered his call that night. 

Ace had so many health issues they were impossible to count, and I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as thin as him. He dressed well with a distinct affection for leather and chrome.

Ace could be a pretty intense guy especially when discussing something he was passionate about. He carried himself with dignity and purpose. His occasional outbursts of pain (we had to call an ambulance for him several times) were matched by his laughter and sense of humour.

Short in stature, with a big heart and genuine love for his family. Clarkey talked with great affection about his daughter and grand daughter. 

He was well known and respected by his peers. He was known for having a gentle heart.

When I first met Clarkey he acted as a kind of unofficial land lord in the low rent apartment building he lived in. That place was full of characters, some with violent tendencies, but Clarkey did a good job of helping keep people calm and safe while also collecting their rent. 

Clarkey was always friendly and great to chat with. He had the air of a formal English hermit.