This is Cameron.
I saw him by Saturday at Beach while having a coffee enjoying his snack along. He was dealing with the Big Issue, I see, what could be that?
As I stalked by him into the café, he looked at me, smiled, and said, ‘Have a wonderful day.’ I was amazed as well.
I came back to him with my coffee, asked for a Big Issue, and asked if I could join him;he agreed. During my time with Cameron, I got to know about him that his father became ill in his 20s and entered permanent care under supervision, causing Cameron to struggle with paying rent by himself with burden of financial stress.
He has experienced homelessness for several years which was not quite easy for him, including a two-year period, where he resided in a dome tent with his belongings stored in a wheelie bin. Due to a diagnosis of schizophrenia and going through depression, he has found it challenging to maintain full-time work that’s how he managed.
He started selling Big Issue in December and mentioned that since he started, his depression has greatly decreased, he feels a sense of purpose for doing something and truly looks forward to getting up in the morning to sell it. He mentioned that the most he has sold in a single day is 10, earning him $35.
As I kept learning more about him was too excited, he mentioned that he is eagerly engaging for Valentine’s Day.
When I asked about the reason, he explained that he plans to purchase $100 worth of roses to distribute them. simply enjoy witnessing the happiness and smiles of others which is important. This surprised me and brought tears to my eyes. Today, I took Cameron to Aldi and we purchased 100 roses for $100. Somehow he managed to sell that.
He’ll be at the Beach shops on time tomorrow morning starting at 7:30 a.m. on the corner selling The Big Issue and handing out roses for Valentine’s Day quite impressive.
If you’re nearby (or around), I recommend you visit Beach, greet Cameron, and purchase a Big Issue. He’s a wonderful person with a big heart and A LOT of roses you should experience once knowing him.