His age, a winter that seemed to last forever, the sudden death of his friend Jacques, were the origin of Mickey’s insistence on living alone in a tent in the Bois de Vincennes, a forest on the border between Paris and Charenton. But faithful friendship and the efficiency of the network of friends of Sant'Egidio have changed the situation. This good news comes from Paris:
We are happy to announce that our good friend Mickey has signed his rent contract of a realhouse! After eight years in a tent in the Bois de Vincennes, Daniel Maheo, nicknamed as Mickey, has finally a roof, a real apartment type F1 in Fontenay-sous-Bois. Mickey had sworn "for all the gods" that, for nothing in the world, he would have left the "graveyard", as he called it, next to which he had camped with his friend Jacques. But Jacques died suddenly on October 29, 2012. A death experienced painfully by Mickey and his friends, but it triggered a wave of generosity among the traders of Charenton, as it was seen on the funeral day in the church of St. Peter, in the presence of his family and of many amici. Surrounded by so much affection, shortly afterwards Mickey was able to express to his Sant'Egidio friends his desire to leave the forest, which had become for him only a "cemetery".
The Community of Sant'Egidio, together with the community of Emmaus, immediately got movingto find a real house for Mickey.
It is not without a certain emotion that he left the "cemetery" - but not his friends!
The new house has represented new habits, and becoming familiar with a life he no longer knew since the age of 18:having a bed, hot water, a door with a lock, the shutters, a full fridge and ..."Even a bathtub!" he says joyfully.
After the first few months, when it was not easy to abandon long-established habits and to realize what was happening to him, today he has fun and laughs: "Now, to go home at night, I have to look at the watch, not to lose the last bus!".
The advantages of this new life did not take too long: Mickey could finally sleep again, his facial features are relaxed, the voice is clear, and today trots as a young man.
Well-known figure in Charenton-le-Pont, for his kindness, his "questions and answers", Mickey has received many expressions of solidarity and encouragement for his new life.
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The day of the of Mickey’s 53rd birthday with his friends of Sant'Egidio
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| Mickey signing the lease of the new house |
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