By Stephanie Gauthier 91裸聊视频� Contributor.

Corey smiles easily. He laughs and he curses, and he91裸聊视频檚 hard not to like.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 a joker,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檒l do something so stupid out of the blue to put a smile on someone91裸聊视频檚 face.91裸聊视频�

This is true for the staff at Ellis Place, a subsidized, supportive housing site in Kelowna where he now lives, just as it91裸聊视频檚 true for the people he91裸聊视频檚 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 doesn91裸聊视频檛 have legs. They were both amputated above the knee in 2010. He doesn91裸聊视频檛 complain about this misfortune or feel sorry for himself. He jokes about it instead. He says it helps put people at ease.

91裸聊视频淲hat disability?91裸聊视频� He pads the seat of his chair in mock surprise. 91裸聊视频淢y legs, oh god, where91裸聊视频檇 my legs go?91裸聊视频�

Corey has a hereditary blood clotting disorder that led to the amputations. He shrugs about it now, saying he wouldn91裸聊视频檛 take back his legs even if he could.

91裸聊视频淚 do more with no legs than I ever did with them.91裸聊视频�

Corey has a long history with drugs. He used cocaine for ten years and opiates for 25, but he91裸聊视频檚 put all of that behind him.

91裸聊视频淚 still like to get some coolers on the weekend,91裸聊视频� he said. But, he91裸聊视频檚 left the harder substances in the past and he91裸聊视频檚 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 Corey91裸聊视频檚 mother, who died from lung cancer in 2017.

91裸聊视频淚 was at her side when she passed away,91裸聊视频� he says. 91裸聊视频淪he always said to me, 91裸聊视频榣ife91裸聊视频檚 too short to be miserable, laughter91裸聊视频檚 the best medicine, and pay it forward.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淚n the shelter, you91裸聊视频檙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.91裸聊视频�

Visit the to read the rest of Corey91裸聊视频檚 story.

Read More: Stigma remains for those experiencing homelessness in Kelowna

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