Going from homeless to hero
By John Mohan

When 19-year-old Joseph Mousseau's failed Spiderman impression of jumping bridges in a single bound landed him in the frigid, rushing Red River May 7 he was more than embarrassed -- he was scared. When he discovered he wasn't Aquaman either, it went from bad to worse as he fought a losing battle with the spring currents. Luckily for Mousseau his screams for help were heard by a superhero disguised as a middle-aged aboriginal homeless man named Faron Hall who without thought of his own life or safety bravely rescued the exhausted and frightened Winnipeg citizen. The same superhero in disguise that had been just been denied his request for some spare change as Mousseau and others walked by him, not recognizing Hall's true identity.

As word of the incident leaked out by witnesses, media soon combed the riverbanks, emergency shelters and back alleys of our city in search of the hero's secret lair. Correctly reflecting Winnipeg's collective appreciation, our city's finest publicly honoured Hall and presented him with gifts. His story was told across our great nation and there's even been talk of a trust fund being established in his honour to benefit him and other extraordinary people disguised as the homeless. However Winnipeggers are also wondering if we can return the favour by offering to rescue the superhero himself. Does he want the warmth and safety of a home? Does he need a job or at least an employment training program? Whatever he wants or needs we'll do for him. Citizens and governments might not have done anything for him in April but now we've seen Faron Hall for who he really is and we don't want him to go back to his disguise as a mild-mannered homeless man living on the banks of the Red.

Asked what he would like or need, he surprisingly responded that he'd like to see a Goldeyes game from inside the park instead of looking through the fence from the outside -- a humble request from a man who sees himself having few needs. Maybe the superhero doesn't really want to be rescued. Maybe he feels he's happiest and safest being left alone with no unrealistic expectations put on his shoulders.

Hall has been repeatedly asked how this incident and public acclamation might change his life. He answered that he would simply take things one day at a time. Just like he has for the past number of years because that's what works best for a superhero who has known pain, loss and weakness in his own life.

Perhaps the question is not how will rescuing young Joseph Mousseau from drowning in the Red River and the public attention and "blank cheque" offers change Faron Hall's life? Maybe the real question is how will this story change the rest of us? Will we see the Faron Halls living on our streets any differently? As undiscovered superheroes scared by real life and disguised as our homeless? Even when they look beaten and ask for a handout? And will the Mousseaus of Winnipeg (meaning us) carry a little spare change just in case our future rescuers ask for some help?

--John Mohan is the CEO of Siloam Mission.

Originally printed in the Winnipeg Sun, Wednesday, May 13, 2009.
Reprinted with the permission of Sun Media Corporation.