After four years of struggling to survive on the streets, Adam Gillan had given up hope.
“I thought that was it,” Adam says. “Never see my family again.”
Until one day, while searching through a dumpster in Edmonton, he found a picture of Bambi.
“I was just thinking maybe I could get some drugs for it,” Adam says.
So Adam sold it at an antique shop for $20.
“And I just went on my way.”
But Bambi’s buyer — Alex Archbold of Curiosity Inc. — discovered it was an original animation cel from the Disney movie, and sold it for about $3,600.
“And I just wouldn’t have felt right keeping that much money,” Alex says.
So he started searching the streets for Adam.
“The problem is,” Alex says. “I don’t know where to find him.”
But after two weeks of daily searches, he did. And gave Adam half the money.
“Are you kidding me?” Adam says after being surprised with the envelope full of cash.
“I’m not kidding you,” Alex laughs.
“Holy cow!” Adam replies in shock.
The other half of the money was spent on a hotel, food and clothes for Adam, before Alex launched a a GoFundMe that raised almost $18,000 for him.
“Having basically nothing for years and then having somebody help, it was amazing,” Adam says.
While the generosity felt unbelievable, the reality of returning home to face his family felt unbearable.
“I was just scared that people would judge me for being homeless,” Adam says.
But with Alex’s support, Adam found the courage to face his fears and board a train home to London, Ont.
“I gave him a little momentum,” Alex says. “But (Adam) was the one who kept himself going.”
Now, four years later, Adam is still doing the work — and thriving. He says he’s sober and healthy, present in his children's lives, and running his own growing drywall business.
“I love doing (the job),” Adam smiles. “Bringing life to old houses.”
Like he was inspired to rebuild his life and move forward, Adam says his business plan includes helping others do the same.
“People like me, who are maybe afraid to ask for help,” Adam says.
Adam is hoping to pay forward the kindness of a stranger he now calls a “brother” who saved his life.
“The whole Bambi thing,” Adam says. “It’s kind of a miracle.”
Although they live half a country away from each other, Adam and Alex have visited each other and talk regularly. It’s an enduring relationship that Alex hopes will inspire others.
“There are thousands of people like (Adam) out there,” Alex says. “When people are put back in a nurturing environment, they are capable of anything.”
Economists are predicting the Bank of Canada will hike its key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point on Wednesday as inflation rages on globally.
Ukrainian newcomers in Canada, looking to escape the conflict in their country, have been burning through their savings as they're faced with the high cost of living in the city.
Rogers is warning customers of a wave of scam text messages purportedly offering credits after its all-day outage on Friday.
The federal Conservatives and the president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress are blasting Ottawa's decision to allow the delivery of equipment from a Russian-Europe natural gas pipeline to Germany.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in Calgary to attend several events, including a trip to the Stampede grounds on Sunday morning.
Four years after a discovery in a Edmonton dumpster changed his life, Adam Gillan is sober, healthy and running a growing drywall business.
Dr. Atul Kapur, a spokesman for the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, said premiers gathering at a meeting in Victoria on Monday and Tuesday need to prioritize the recruitment and retention of health-care professionals, and not just in the short-term.
The city of Shanghai has discovered a COVID-19 case involving a new subvariant Omicron BA.5.2.1, an official told a briefing on Sunday, signaling the complications China faces to keep up with new mutations as it pursues its "zero-COVID" policy.
Novak Djokovic withstood early brilliance from Australian showman Nick Kyrgios to secure a fourth successive Wimbledon title with a victory on a sun-drenched Centre Court on Sunday.
Multiple residents of a social housing building in Vancouver's West End have been displaced after fire tore through a suite there Saturday evening.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers found their offence as they improved to 5-0 on the season with a 43-22 win over the B.C. Lions.
Dr. Atul Kapur, a spokesman for the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, said premiers gathering at a meeting in Victoria on Monday and Tuesday need to prioritize the recruitment and retention of health-care professionals, and not just in the short-term.
A driver is in police custody after causing a six-vehicle crash on Yellowhead Trail while driving a stolen vehicle on Saturday, according to EPS.
Dr. Atul Kapur, a spokesman for the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, said premiers gathering at a meeting in Victoria on Monday and Tuesday need to prioritize the recruitment and retention of health-care professionals, and not just in the short-term.
Economists are predicting the Bank of Canada will hike its key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point on Wednesday as inflation rages on globally.
The cost of building housing in Toronto will soon rise by tens of thousands of dollars per unit as the city hikes development charges by nearly 50 per cent.
Check your lottery tickets if you tried your luck at winning Saturday’s $20 million LOTTO 6/49 draw. The OLG says the winning ticket from the July 9 jackpot was sold in Toronto.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is investigating after a 26-year-old man died following a police interaction in North York early Sunday morning.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in Calgary to attend several events, including a trip to the Stampede grounds on Sunday morning.
More than 130,000 people attended the first full day of festivities at the Calgary Stampede, the city's premiere event.
Western spirit is alive and well at Calgary's Chinook Centre on Saturday as thousands of people lined up for their share of free pancakes while enjoying all the fun Stampede has to offer.
Hundreds of people are rallying in front of Montreal's courthouse today to denounce a light sentence imposed on a man who pleaded guilty to sexual assault and voyeurism.
The emergency services paramedics' union, which covers the Montreal and Laval territories, will apply pressure tactics on Monday to protest against working conditions that it deems unacceptable.
Quebec reported five new COVID-19 deaths on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 15,671 since the start of the pandemic.
Federal government and Armed Forces officials have formally apologized today for the treatment of Canada's only all-Black unit to serve in the First World War.
Officials with the public inquiry into the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting are warning that this week may be difficult for some because the inquiry will focus on domestic and family-based violence.
Demonstrators at an abortion rights rally in Fredericton this weekend said the U.S. Supreme Court’s repealing of Roe v. Wade is linked to long-standing discussions about procedure access and funding in New Brunswick.
Economists are predicting the Bank of Canada will hike its key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point on Wednesday as inflation rages on globally.
Ukrainian newcomers in Canada, looking to escape the conflict in their country, have been burning through their savings as they're faced with the high cost of living in the city.
The search for a missing 5-year-old Saskatchewan boy has ended after his remains were found on Saturday.
No injuries have been reported after a fire engulfed a three storey brick building in downtown Kitchener Saturday night.
A massive outage of Rogers services, more reports of driveway paving scams, and a prom dress made entirely of duct tape round out the top stories of the week.
The search for a missing 5-year-old Saskatchewan boy has ended after his remains were found on Saturday.
Ajok Madol, a Grade 11 student from Regina, qualified for Canada’s national U17 team at the 2022 FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup, according to an announcement from Basketball Saskatchewan Inc.
Premier Scott Moe said that the province looked for another way to bring Ukrainian refugees to Saskatchewan after an earlier attempt to arrange a flight through the federal government had failed.
A summer camp in Muskoka is cancelling its junior program due to positive COVID-19 cases among staff and students.
The Blue Mountains Fire Services Department is using an incident over the weekend as a teaching moment about fire safety.
Check your lottery tickets if you tried your luck at winning Saturday’s $20 million LOTTO 6/49 draw. The OLG says the winning ticket from the July 9 jackpot was sold in Toronto.
The search for a missing 5-year-old Saskatchewan boy has ended after his remains were found on Saturday.
At 9:55 p.m. on Saturday, the Saskatoon Fire Department received multiple calls of a structure fire on the 10 Block of Westview Place, according to a news release.
Saskatchewan’s smattering of severe summer weather continued yet again on Friday.
An early Sunday morning fishing derby in Powassan reeled in all ages for a chance to snag the 'big one' at Hydro Pond.
Economists are predicting the Bank of Canada will hike its key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point on Wednesday as inflation rages on globally.
A 29-year-old Sunridge resident is facing multiple charges following a motor vehicle collision on July 6.
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