Manon recently returned to the Day Centre to share her story with us and reconnect with some of the people who made a difference in her life. It’s been 28 years since she first came to Dans la rue, but the emotions of being back in the place that was so meaningful to her are as powerful as ever.
How it began: A pivotal encounter
Manon was 17 when she met Pops — Dans la rue founder Father Emmett Johns. Back then, he was doing the nightly rounds in his used RV, reaching out to young people on the streets of Montreal. A natural connection formed instantly — one rooted in respect, honesty and sincerity.
The Day Centre opened on Ontario Street in 1997, and Manon was one of the first to cross its threshold. She embraced the experience wholeheartedly, working at the cafeteria while taking courses at Dans la rue’s
“Pops accepted people as they were.”
A life rebuilt, a commitment to helping others
With each passing year, a determined Manon got further ahead. She enrolled in nursing school. She moved to Nova Scotia, where she found work as a nurse’s aide. Manon is now living in Halifax. She’s married and has two children. She can look back with gratitude and clarity at how far she’s come. And she is dedicated to supporting, listening to and empowering others as they find their own way toward the light that she once found.
Passing it on
Manon often describes Pops as someone who accepted people as they were. Nothing could shake his love. It was an approach that had a profound influence on her. And emulating it is the best way to honour his legacy.
“Let yourself trust, even if it’s just a little. Open up. Don’t isolate yourself. It might take a few tries to get off the street, and that’s OK. But you don’t have to go through it on your own: there’s always going to be someone there to listen.”
