“The Dauphine saved my life,” says a former itinerant and ex-drug addict

After a period of wandering and years of drug addiction, a man from Quebec who is now sober and independent became a peer helper for Maison Dauphine, to which he attributes his joy of living today, even if bad luck l ‘strike again.

Lexis-Matéo Veillette’s descent into hell began 13 years ago.

“My family situation was difficult. I decided to leave home and found myself on the street. I was a drug addict and an alcoholic. I did some couchsurfingmoving from one couch to another, the so-called hidden homelessness, for a little less than a year,” says the 30-year-old man with confidence.

“I then experienced my big period of drug addiction and alcoholism which lasted three or four years,” he adds.

His ease in expressing himself is not what one would expect from someone who has gone through such serious difficulties.

“I write well, I speak well, that’s always been one of my favorite things. I have given a lot of conferences since I had my first apartment at SQUAT Basse-Ville.”

This organization which receives runaway minors had one last free subsidized apartment in its new block open to young adults when Lexis-Matéo knocked on their door.

Premier contact

“SQUAT referred me to Dauphine for support, food baskets and school and I finished high school. I met Lucie [Millette] and Jean-Luc [Poitras] who welcomed me, helped me unconditionally by appreciating me as a person, whether I was frozen or drunk, angry or sad. They valued me. That’s when I wanted to change and improve my situation,” he recalls.

“It always feels like everyone is against us. When I was begging in the street, there were people’s criticisms, their looks, those who changed sidewalks so as not to pass by me. Then there are the problems with the police, the authorities, the school. At the Dauphine, we saw the person in me, not just the one who was problematic,” he says.

The disease

And as if life hadn’t already thrown enough pitfalls at him, Lexis-Matéo learned two years ago that he had multiple sclerosis.

“It called into question several things in my life. I don’t know if in 20 years I’ll still be alive, how the illness will go, it’s a roller coaster. I then wrote to the Dauphine who always continued to help me and evaluated me. I sent them a CV and a cover letter telling them they needed me. They had no subsidy, but they paid me for a year and a half. And I’ve been here as a peer helper for two years,” he says.

“Maison Dauphine saved my life and saved me again when I learned about my illness,” he continues. They give me the opportunity to do work that is meaningful to me, that I am good at, but accepting that my illness has its ups and downs. This is the first time I’ve gotten up in the morning and been happy to go to work. The Dauphine is my family.”