Our friend Alvin

This is the story of our friend Alvin.

We met Alvin on the night of my birthday, we came home from dinner and he was sitting on our stoop, we talked with him for a while and got to know a very charming, sweet man who loves sports and is a Knicks fan :) We got him some snacks, water and gave him some cash to get to a shelter nearby.

Ever since that night Alvin has come back often to meet us on our stoop and has become our friend.

We are doing our best to help him get rehabilitated in society.

Alvin is a 78 year old man from South Carolina, he volunteered to serve in Vietnam and was stationed in Germany after the war before finally moving to NYC.

27 years ago he lost his wife and his three children in a terrible accident involving a drunk driver who crashed his car inside a bank where his entire family was killed on sight.

Alvin had to bury his wife, his two daughters and his infant son on the same day, and from then on gave up on life himself.

He was appointed a therapist but the loss and trauma was too big for him to overcome at that time.

He just let go and ended up living on the street for almost 30 years.

Although Alvin has been completely sober since he came back from the war and does not have any addiction problems, he recently found out he is Diabetic and has an array of health issues that comes with being old and not getting any health care for years.

But somehow in this moment Alvin has found in him the strength to fight again and to live again.

He applied for a social apartment through his VA and moved into a Breaking Grounds Building earlier this month in Downtown Brooklyn. He is going to the doctor several times a week to keep his condition in check, we are helping him get his ID so that he can claim his Social Security.

Alvin is the sweetest old man and has really caught our hearts, he is funny and caring and he deserves to live the last chapter of his life beautifully and to know happiness again.

We helped him get situated by getting him hygiene necessities, cooking and living essentials from Ikea (Alvin used to be a cook at Laguardia airport before his tragic accident), plants for his apartment, gathering some clothing from friends...

But we want to do more.

Alvin will need money to live a dignified happy and healthy life, to pay his medical bills, buy groceries, necessities and be a little bit more independent.

To all our friends and friends of friends, if you can spare anything please consider donating to our friend Alvin.