STAFF AT Dunnes Stores, Wexford, came to the rescue of a homeless man, who was found freezing in a nearby alleyway last Friday evening.
The man, aged in his 20s was sleeping rough and as temperatures dipped below freezing a member of staff at the supermarket became concerned for his health.
A group of staff on duty that night held a collection and purchased a bag of hot food and warm clothes before making a plea to Ozanam House to make the necessary arrangements for emergency accommodation.
One member of staff told this newspaper: “Unfortunately Ozanam House was full. But there was a man due to leave there the next day. His stuff was still in the room so they couldn’t really take it out, but to be fair they did clear the room and they came back to us to let us know that they had space for him.”
However, when staff returned to find the homeless man, who is from Galway, and take him by taxi to the sheltered accommodation they discovered that he had left.
Some time later he returned to the same location without the bag of items and was in an intoxicated state, which meant that he was unable to take up the room.
“It was really sad. He was such a nice man and if he was 30 I’d say that was the most,” said the Dunnes Stores staff member.
He continued: “He was well spoken and very grateful for what we did for him.”
It is believed that the man had been receiving treatment at a rehabilitation facility in Waterford for over a year and had discharged himself last week.
“He told us that he had just fallen off the wagon and he kept saying I don’t deserve this…it really was a very sad situation.”
The staff also remarked that the event “struck a chord with us especially so close to Christmas.”
The group also planned to leave the remainder of the money with a nearby café to ensure that the man had access to warm food for the remainder of the week.