Wendell Smitheram and Christopher Billy were buying groceries at FreshCo on Monday when they noticed their van was on fire.
The two men left everything at the store and ran out the door but were too late: their van and all their possessions were gone.
sa国际传媒淲e had all our gear, everything, in there. We had all our blankets, all our cooking gear, we had our own groceries, all of our goods,sa国际传媒� Billy, 58, of Quesnel, said. sa国际传媒淣ow wesa国际传媒檙e homeless and living out of a bag.sa国际传媒�
The men had stopped in 100 Mile House, hoping to make some cash, on their way to Kamloops where they planned to spend the summer picking mushrooms. They left their van at the South Cariboo Visitor Centre just before 6:30 p.m. Monday after collecting recyclables and went to buy groceries.
About 15 minutes later, as they were at the checkout, Billy said customers started talking about smoke coming from the visitorsa国际传媒檚 centre and he left to investigate. When he heard it was a car fire, Smitheram followed, worried about his van as it was the only one in the lot when they had left.
The men fled, leaving the groceries behind.
sa国际传媒淚 came back to the visitor centre and watched it burn,sa国际传媒� said Smitheram, who had previously lived in Anahim Lake and was the registered owner of the van. sa国际传媒淚t was home, everything we had was in it. Now wesa国际传媒檙e down to one mountain bike and not much else.sa国际传媒�
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Smitheram had been living in the van throughout the winter and lost most of his worldly possessions, including his computer and his driversa国际传媒檚 license. Billy lost his clothes, his guitar and his mountain bike.
A woman known to police was arrested in connection with the fire. Her name has not been released as she has not yet been formally charged. Smitheram said he and Billy knew the suspect and had invited her to go mushroom picking with them.
The Canadian Mental Health Association put the men up at a local motel and provided them with donations from the community, including money and gift cards. Smitheram has also been collecting bottles to earn some money to help support them.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e thankful for the people that have helped us here but itsa国际传媒檚 tough. Wesa国际传媒檙e so used to just cooking on our own and doing our own thing,sa国际传媒� Billy said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 hard to reach out when you havensa国际传媒檛 really reached out before. Itsa国际传媒檚 hard to ask for help but we are short of money.sa国际传媒�
The two men left 100 Mile House Thursday on a bus bound for Kamloops. Billy said they plan to regroup, get Smitheram a new driversa国际传媒檚 license and hopefully be able to start mushroom picking. Theysa国际传媒檙e hopeful Smitheramsa国际传媒檚 insurance money will allow them to buy a new van.
Melonie Eva, who works at the CMHA and helped the two men, said this time of year CMHAsa国际传媒檚 Homeless Outreach program is in need of tents, sleeping bags and non-perishable food items. These items can make a difference for those who suddenly find themselves homeless, like Billy and Smitheram. Donations are accepted at CMHAsa国际传媒檚 office at 555 B South Cedar Avenue.
sa国际传媒淓very little bit helps,sa国际传媒� Smitheram said. sa国际传媒淎nything I cansa国际传媒檛 use Isa国际传媒檓 sure Isa国际传媒檓 going to run into someone that can the way things have been going these past few years.sa国际传媒�
patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
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