Bruce Deachman: Kind reader replaces homeless woman’s stolen canoe – Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA — Bruce Deachman’s story about having his canoe stolen while he was sleeping in his tent on the Rideau River in Ottawa back in April hit a chord with readers of the Ottawa Citizen.
Deachman, a homeless man, recounted the ordeal in a letter to the editor, noting he’d only owned the canoe for two months and the only item of value it contained was his blanket. That blanket, and Deachman’s life story, quickly resonated with many, so much so that he received a plethora of offers of assistance, including two offers for canoes. It seems that Deachman’s loss was somebody else’s gain, though.
“I’m sure glad it went to good use for that woman,” Deachman said in an interview last week, his voice crackling over the phone line. “I’m in no hurry to have a canoe, because I don’t have anywhere to put it.” But he still remembers his pain of the loss, and he wants to encourage people to be empathetic. “Sometimes, even a small act of kindness can make a world of difference,” he said. The story behind the canoe, though, is even more remarkable.
A reader, a woman from Ottawa who requested anonymity, decided to donate her canoe. Her father had gifted it to her decades ago, and it had become more of a treasured object she no longer used. When she saw Deachman’s story, it was her time to give back, though the gift took an unexpected turn when her husband learned of the gesture. In a selfless act, he stepped in and wanted to buy a new canoe for Deachman instead of donating their aging family relic.
“The canoe we offered had a small hole,” the anonymous reader explained, noting the husband believed a newer model would better serve the needs of someone facing challenges. “He wanted to surprise me with a newer one to help the person.” But they did not have a means to contact Deachman. “I wasn’t sure if they knew where he lived,” she added. She didn’t want to publicize her offer or make it seem like a donation or gift; rather, a way to ensure he could move through Ottawa’s waterways safely. “We didn’t want any thanks, we just wanted him to have a canoe to be able to use.” This desire to keep it low-key, though, became the biggest roadblock.
That’s where a woman named Cathy Johnston stepped in. A reader of the Ottawa Citizen and frequent volunteer in the homeless community, Johnston saw the couple’s generosity and wanted to facilitate their donation, so she reached out to the Ottawa Citizen.
“It was quite heartbreaking to hear about what happened,” said Johnston, explaining she frequently volunteered in the community helping homeless individuals. The couple told Johnston they wanted to remain anonymous. “I had already volunteered my time, so they figured, hey, it might be great if someone could just take this, buy a canoe for the homeless gentleman.”
After the newspaper connected her with Deachman, Johnston took on the responsibility of mediating between the couple and Deachman, making sure all needs were met and facilitating a donation of an unused canoe instead. Johnston wanted to ensure Deachman could replace his stolen canoe and continue using the Ottawa waterways, making it easy for him to reach places with essential supplies, but also connecting with nature.
“I said ‘Yes’ to Cathy right away, because I’m not going to get in trouble, it’s an offer, and it makes sense,” Deachman said about the exchange. “I’ve used canoes for 20 years of my life,” Deachman said, adding he has lived most of his adult life without stable housing, always dependent on canoe access. “The canoe is like my mode of transportation on the water.” So, the Ottawa couple made sure Deachman’s life wasn’t disrupted, with Johnston acting as a facilitator. They found Deachman a canoe that was free from the Salvation Army, one of his preferred charities.
“In fact,” Johnston explained, “Bruce used the donation to buy a canoe that would suit his needs more because his current canoe was pretty worn out. The couple offered to buy him a brand new canoe,” she said. “But, when I told Bruce that, he didn’t want to take it. He said: ‘I will take what is available to me; I don’t need the whole package.'” Instead of being given a gift, Deachman wanted to do things independently, a testament to the type of person he is, Johnston noted. Johnston found out later from Deachman he’d bought the canoe. He explained he would need to replace the paddles, though. Deachman was happy that, even if the Ottawa couple’s money went elsewhere, it helped him acquire a new canoe and he had to use that gift to buy his own paddles. “It made me feel grateful that somebody in this city is willing to step up and be so kind.”
After speaking with the couple and working out the logistics, Johnston contacted Deachman and set up a meeting with a woman who wanted to take him out to lunch at a restaurant and make sure he got a replacement for his canoe. “Bruce said: ‘Don’t you think I know it was you who’s helping?’ She laughed. It’s easy for her to think he couldn’t know. They met at the Ottawa River. ‘Let’s go down to the docks, I want to show you what’s available to you,’ the anonymous woman said. ‘There was something for every level,’ Deachman remembers of that afternoon,” Johnston recalls. He chose a sturdy red canoe. The canoe came with oars.
“The couple had gone out that morning and got it, but they were reluctant to come and say: ‘Oh, here is your canoe,’ because that would defeat the purpose. The intention of this was simply to put some cash in my hand and allow me to go and get myself what I need.” Even though it didn’t turn out as expected, he appreciates the gesture, even without the actual donation. “It just goes to show that people care.”
“You have a real opportunity now. With a canoe, the options open up for you, the potential,” Johnston said she told him. “Don’t worry, go have some fun.” The couple who provided the financial aid also got involved in making sure Deachman got what he wanted in life. Deachman is living proof of kindness in Ottawa.
