A man who was homeless in Ottawa is on the hunt for the Good Samaritan who helped turn his life around. 54-year-old Curtis is now living and working in Toronto, thanks, in part he says, to a weekly act of kindness: a plate of food left for him at an Ottawa food court. CTV was interviewing Curtis for a story about mental health and the homeless. He talked about this man he calls his "little Giant"; a small, red-headed man with a big heart who, 15 years ago, changed Curtis’ life.

Life is very different these days for Curtis.  He is off the streets, working part time in Toronto and living in affordable housing through a group called House Link Community Homes.

“I’m alive,” he told CTV National News Health reporter Avis Favaro for a story she did in January about the number of people with mental health issues living on the streets.

Back in Ottawa in early 2000, Curtis slept where he could and are where he could, often sneaking into the food court at the Rideau Centre to grab leftovers off empty plates, trying to avoid mall security staff.

“It would take a long time to find a lot of food to make it through the night,” Curtis said today in an interview from his apartment in Toronto.

Curtis says one day, he felt someone watching him, which, he says, when you're in the business of stealing scraps of food is not a good thing.  The young man looked at Curtis, then walked away from his table but to Curtis' surprise, left a full plate of food along with a knife, fork and drink. 

“It was such a random act of kindness,” says Curtis, “but for someone living on the street at time, it gave me everything I needed, it gave me a little bit of hope.”

For weeks after that, every Tuesday at noon, the same scenario played out until Curtis moved on somewhere else.  They never spoke, but made eye contact one time, nodding to each other from across the food court, a silent affirmation of the respect they held for each other.

“It helped me understand the power of one, for lack of better term,” says Curtis, “Just what a random act of kind for one person, what a difference you can make in one person's life.”

“It’s a beautiful story,” says Mike Bulthuis, the executive director of the Alliance to End Homelessness, “it speaks a lot to the character of the people who live in our city.”

Bulthuis says about 65-hundred people used a shelter in 2014.  While that number has declined slightly, the length they are staying in a shelter is increasing dramatically.  Belthuis says while one person’s act of kindness is an incredible gesture, more needs to be done to find out why people are homeless in the first place and more policies need to be implemented to help people get off the streets.  Curtis says he had many struggles with mental health and that his “life was a mess.” But he says the stranger’s actions

were the impetus to him seeking help.  He is now the board President of House Link in Toronto and wants his "little Giant" to know what's become of him, perhaps to meet him to say thanks.

“Just to shake his hand,” he says, “and maybe take him out for lunch.  Wouldn’t that be cool?”

All Curtis knows of the man was that he was maybe in his 20's or 30’s with reddish blonde hair and a beard and usually sporting wearing a shirt and tie.  He would probably be in his 40's now.  If he is out there, Curtis would love to know.