By Stephanie Gauthier 香蕉视频直播� Contributor.

Corey smiles easily. He laughs and he curses, and he香蕉视频直播檚 hard not to like.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 a joker,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檒l do something so stupid out of the blue to put a smile on someone香蕉视频直播檚 face.香蕉视频直播�

This is true for the staff at Ellis Place, a subsidized, supportive housing site in Kelowna where he now lives, just as it香蕉视频直播檚 true for the people he香蕉视频直播檚 shared emergency shelter spaces with over the years.

Time evaporates when speaking with Corey, especially when the conversation turns to motorcycles. He loves riding them and building them. He scrolls through photos on his phone, stopping on a video of himself riding a custom bike.

Corey uses a hand-operated clutch to shift gears in the video. He does so because he doesn香蕉视频直播檛 have legs. They were both amputated above the knee in 2010. He doesn香蕉视频直播檛 complain about this misfortune or feel sorry for himself. He jokes about it instead. He says it helps put people at ease.

香蕉视频直播淲hat disability?香蕉视频直播� He pads the seat of his chair in mock surprise. 香蕉视频直播淢y legs, oh god, where香蕉视频直播檇 my legs go?香蕉视频直播�

Corey has a hereditary blood clotting disorder that led to the amputations. He shrugs about it now, saying he wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 take back his legs even if he could.

香蕉视频直播淚 do more with no legs than I ever did with them.香蕉视频直播�

Corey has a long history with drugs. He used cocaine for ten years and opiates for 25, but he香蕉视频直播檚 put all of that behind him.

香蕉视频直播淚 still like to get some coolers on the weekend,香蕉视频直播� he said. But, he香蕉视频直播檚 left the harder substances in the past and he香蕉视频直播檚 changed his lifestyle in a lot of other ways. He volunteers with his church now instead of running with motorcycle gangs. These changes tie back to Corey香蕉视频直播檚 mother, who died from lung cancer in 2017.

香蕉视频直播淚 was at her side when she passed away,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淪he always said to me, 香蕉视频直播榣ife香蕉视频直播檚 too short to be miserable, laughter香蕉视频直播檚 the best medicine, and pay it forward.香蕉视频直播�

Corey has lived at Ellis Place since December 2021. Before that, he was in an emergency shelter.

香蕉视频直播淚n the shelter, you香蕉视频直播檙e just in open pods so if you go to the washroom people are in your pod stealing. Here you have a locked door and workers that look out for you.香蕉视频直播�

Visit the to read the rest of Corey香蕉视频直播檚 story.

Read More: Stigma remains for those experiencing homelessness in Kelowna

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