“Danya, this is my angel!
Alex exclaims, his eyes filled with gratitude in his hotel room.
For three years, this 53-year-old homeless man had been living in rue des Lilas-d'Espagne, in Courbevoie (Hauts-de-Seine), sheltered by the recess of a garage door.
Every day, Alex stayed in front of a supermarket, where he was "tolerated" and played around.
In April 2021, Danya Belaid, a resident of the city, brought her a meal.
She came back to see him once, then two, then three ... "I fell in love with one another," recounts the warm brunette, who "hasn't let go since."
She thus launched a Facebook group “For Alex” to help her.
"Fed and housed by his employer"
Thanks to a vast solidarity network of neighbors and traders, his initiative enabled the homeless to get off the streets on May 3.
"He is fed and housed by his employer," welcomes Danya, who relayed the news on social networks.
So everything went very quickly, in just three weeks.
The first few days, Alex first benefited from a haircut offered by the Barber Shop, a hairdresser from Courbevoie, and savor the grilled meats given free of charge by Brasao, a restaurant located on avenue Puvis-de-Chavanne.
Since the meeting with Alex, the sign has even distributed free meals until May 15 to other homeless people in the town.
“We are happy to help!
Enthuses Hicham, a young employee from Brasao.
Since the meeting with Alex, the Brasao brand has distributed free meals until May 15 to other homeless people in Courbevoie.
LP / Marie Briand-Locu
Glasses offered by an optician in Val-d'Oise
He has even just received a pair of glasses from an optician… in Bezons (Val-d'Oise)!
And thanks to the 572 euros from a solidarity kitty launched by Danya, Alex slept at the hotel.
"Danya is my lucky star", does not believe the ex-homeless, who suddenly "stopped alcohol".
“I drank a lot to forget my life,” he breathes.
In his old makeshift shelter, the fifty-year-old with a face still hollowed out by difficulties had a small bed and things arranged in bags.
“Sometimes we would steal it,” sighs Danya.
With a leap, Alex, a sudden gleam in his clear eyes, leads us to his old home, proud to find a radio under the pile of worn blankets.
“A neighbor dropped her off.
It's thanks to Danya again, ”he remarks, moved, before telling his story.
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After his arrival in France, the 50-year-old of Romanian origin confides in having worked "illegally" as a painter in the building, but his former employer has stopped paying him, forcing him to leave his home.
The street follows for three years.
A life that spoils it.
He quickly loses all his teeth.
"I look like Dracula," he jokes today, with a quiet laugh.
“He changed physically in three weeks,” says Danya.
"His smile never leaves him"
Since she has lived in Courbevoie, Danya "saw him from time to time at the Millennium Park".
“And like everyone else, I didn't necessarily stop,” she admits.
Since her childhood, however, the 30-something has developed the habit of giving "to those who need it" thanks to her mother.
“When I was little, I always saw her cooking for a whole village,” she laughs.
She lived alone with three children and little money, in Aubervilliers (Seine-Saint-Denis) but she was always generous.
I try to transmit his values to my children.
"
The homeless man smiles, which lights up his tired features.
“He broke my heart,” Danya remembers, happy to see that that smile “never leaves him anymore”.
Now, Danya dreams of founding her own association this summer to "create a real permanent solidarity network in Courbevoie".
