Photo: Sue Carroll | Unsplash
Daniel McClenon, a talented artist in the San Francisco Bay area, who is grappling with addiction and mental illness, no longer has to sleep outside on the ground. He now has a bed, a roof over his head and a shower. Less than two months after Mercury News published a story documenting McClenon’s struggles, the 39-year-old was finally accepted into transitional housing after living on the streets for years. Things began to change for him when a stranger two states away stumbled upon a link to McClenon’s story while browsing Facebook from his living room on a Saturday afternoon in June. By the time Kurt Horspool finished the story, he was in tears. “It really hit me,” said Horspool, who works at a mental health and substance abuse treatment center for young people. “I’m a big believer in people and their potential. Sometimes they just need a chance, someone to help them figure it out and connect with them.” Horspool did that, by connecting with McClenon on Instagram, finding him short term housing, and staying in touch as McClenon navigates his journey to rebuild his life. “It’s just, ‘Hey, buddy, I care, and I’ll help you however I can,’” Horspool said. “And I think Daniel needed someone to care.”
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