By Stephanie Gauthier 含羞草研究社� Contributor.

Corey smiles easily. He laughs and he curses, and he含羞草研究社檚 hard not to like.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 a joker,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檒l do something so stupid out of the blue to put a smile on someone含羞草研究社檚 face.含羞草研究社�

This is true for the staff at Ellis Place, a subsidized, supportive housing site in Kelowna where he now lives, just as it含羞草研究社檚 true for the people he含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檛 have legs. They were both amputated above the knee in 2010. He doesn含羞草研究社檛 complain about this misfortune or feel sorry for himself. He jokes about it instead. He says it helps put people at ease.

含羞草研究社淲hat disability?含羞草研究社� He pads the seat of his chair in mock surprise. 含羞草研究社淢y legs, oh god, where含羞草研究社檇 my legs go?含羞草研究社�

Corey has a hereditary blood clotting disorder that led to the amputations. He shrugs about it now, saying he wouldn含羞草研究社檛 take back his legs even if he could.

含羞草研究社淚 do more with no legs than I ever did with them.含羞草研究社�

Corey has a long history with drugs. He used cocaine for ten years and opiates for 25, but he含羞草研究社檚 put all of that behind him.

含羞草研究社淚 still like to get some coolers on the weekend,含羞草研究社� he said. But, he含羞草研究社檚 left the harder substances in the past and he含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 mother, who died from lung cancer in 2017.

含羞草研究社淚 was at her side when she passed away,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淪he always said to me, 含羞草研究社榣ife含羞草研究社檚 too short to be miserable, laughter含羞草研究社檚 the best medicine, and pay it forward.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淚n the shelter, you含羞草研究社檙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.含羞草研究社�

Visit the to read the rest of Corey含羞草研究社檚 story.

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