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A heartwarming video showing a Londoner stopping to warm a sleeping homeless couple offers an example of kindness and a stark reminder that institutions need to do better, a local man says.
“We must remember that these are human beings. They are people who deserve dignity, compassion and respect,” said Muhammed Sajjad, the property manager for 734 Richmond St., where the video was filmed.
The 11-second video was sent to CBC News by building owner Umar Khan to commend the stranger’s selfless act.
Filmed Oct. 13 at 6 a.m., the video shows a couple sleeping cuddled up on a dirty floor outside the upper level of an empty storefront.
A man in a red sweatshirt walks up the stairs, puts two sweatshirts over the couple, and gives them four loving pats on the back. The couple does not wake up during the interaction, and the man in the red sweatshirt walks away.
“What touched me about the video was seeing the gentleman offer his piece of clothing for the people who were sleeping outside in the cold,” said Sajjad.
“He did not have to stop. He could have simply walked past them, but instead he chose to help. The small act of kindness sends a powerful message that even when people are struggling, we should never lose our humanity.”
Homelessness has been a growing concern for property owners downtown, along Richmond Row, and in other parts of the city, Sajjad said.
“We cannot depend only on the individual acts of kindness,” he said. “We have to solve the problem because this is a serious issue. As a community, we need to ask ourselves why so many people are living outside and what we can do to help them.”
London has to invest in long-term, practical solutions such as safe and accessible shelters, affordable housing, and mental health and addiction support where needed, Sajjad said.
“We also need better coordination between the city’s community organizations and other level of the government,” he added. “I hope that whoever leads our city will make homelessness a serious priority and work to toward meaningful, measurable results.”
As a property manager, Sajjad sees people sleeping and even setting up encampments near businesses with increasing regularity. Protecting public spaces, supporting local businesses, and treating people experiencing homelessness with dignity should not be mutually exclusive, he said.
“Homelessness is not just one person’s problem or one building’s problem. It’s a community issue, and we all have a role to play in finding a solution.”
