In the office of the director of the Ehpad Saint-Exupéry in Lyon, the boxes pile up. It is the same thing in front of the entrance to the establishment. Protective masks, bottles of hydroalcoholic gel, overcoats and even flowers… Deprived of almost everything in this period of coronavirus crisis, this Ehpad is overflowing with donations since Elie Semoun launched, in the middle of the week, a call on Instagram to come to the aid of this place which counts among its residents his father aged 88, suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
A dad that the comedian's 214,000 followers know well. Elie Semoun is in fact in the habit of making them share small moments of his life on his social network.
"In talking with the director, I discovered that the Ehpad lacked everything ... and that, despite his requests, he received nothing," he says, worrying about a situation "dangerous for both residents and staff alike ”.
This is how the humorist came up with the idea of raising the alarm on Instagram. An account he has never let go since the start of confinement, deprived of his scheduled tour to the four corners of France until the end of the year. "I told myself that I could use my little notoriety to help them," he confides.
"One person donated 2000 masks"
The response far exceeded his expectations. From all sides, donations are flowing and the nursing home will be able to benefit other Lyonnais establishments. “A great surge of solidarity has manifested itself. Some have offered blouses. One person donated 2,000 masks. A lady has transmitted four over-blouses, others visors, ”repeats the actor, moved.
But with the donations came messages of encouragement and some criticism. “Some people saw fit to insult me by insinuating that I was a millionaire and that I could give, regrets Elie Semoun, I specify that I am not a millionaire, I actually made a donation, but there, what l 'we ask, it is not money, but material. "
He remains concerned for his father, and for all the elders who have been deprived of visits for more than a month. "We talk by Skype, but he has trouble understanding the situation. These people in danger must be protected at all costs. It would be terrible if they left before we could see them again. "
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The actor is also surprised by a situation of shortage in nursing homes: “We are still not an underdeveloped country! I know that the state cannot do everything, but to be forced to appeal to the solidarity of people to protect our elders, that is crazy. "