Adrian, an Auckland retiree, has lived through both remarkable success and devastating hardship.
For much of his life, Adrian was a successful businessman. But by the age of 70, he’d lost his home and was sleeping rough, living in an old van parked under trees in a local park.
Adrian’s earlier life was vastly different
At 23, he became the youngest buyer within a team helping build New Zealand’s first self-service warehouse. “I was spending a million dollars a fortnight,” he says. “Then, at 5:30 each evening, I’d exchange my suit for overalls and work until 2 in the morning. You can do that in your twenties, right?”
But the long hours came at a cost – Adrian’s marriage ended, and his financial stability slipped away. He found himself homeless and reliant on a benefit.
Then meeting Visionwest changed everything
For 18 months, his name sat on the housing register but, despite regular calls to WINZ, his request for a home went unanswered.
Adrian’s longing for a roof over his head extended beyond safety and comfort – he desperately wanted to spend time with his son, Tony, who lives with autism. The insecurity of sleeping rough made that impossible.
For over a year, he slept on and off in his car, battling medical challenges while navigating the dangers of life on the streets.
His turning point came the evening a compassionate WINZ manager stayed late to speak with him. She listened, understood, and gave him Visionwest’s contact details. That call changed everything.
Adrian’s first connection at Visionwest was Mereana. “She made me feel welcome. I knew I was going to get help,” he says. He was introduced to Jeremy and, within days, was placed in a warm, safe unit – finally able to provide a stable home for his autistic son, Tony. “I’d been sleeping in my car or on a mate’s couch. Now I have a beautiful little unit.
Visionwest were the only organisation that threw in everything for me. Mereana didn’t drop the ball. She kept me going – food parcels, checking in about my son, making sure the fridge was full. Jeremy will do anything for you and make it work.
From transitional to permanent housing
Visionwest’s Community Housing team began the search for housing. One night, his car was attacked by men wielding baseball bats. “The police were chasing them, and they attacked me. That’s how volatile it is out on the streets,” he recalls.
When he shared this with his Visionwest contacts, they realised how important it was to get Adrian housed as soon as possible.
Jeremy and the team were great. Within two weeks, I was out of my van and into Visionwest’s transitional housing in Blockhouse Bay.
Adrian has since moved to permanent housing in Henderson, but he hasn’t forgotten the harsh reality of sleeping rough:
There are a lot of invisible people out there, sleeping in cars, tents, or local parks. It’s dangerous and frightening. Nobody chooses homelessness – it’s something that can happen to anyone when life takes an unexpected turn.
Visionwest – more than just a service
Adrian is grateful for Visionwest and the kaimahi (staff) who’ve gone above and beyond to help him rebuild his life:
Jeremy has been amazing. I needed urgent dental work, and he supported me every step of the way – even driving me home after the surgery. That’s beyond his job description – he genuinely cares.
At the top of Adrian’s list of things he’s grateful for is that he now has a safe, stable home where his son Tony can visit:
You can’t deal with medical problems or mental health stuff when you’re sleeping rough. My wellbeing has improved a lot. This year, I’m planning to study autism at uni. Best of all, I can give Tony the stable environment he needs. You can’t provide that in a van.
To Adrian, Visionwest is more than a service – it’s a community. “The people at Visionwest are a different breed. They care. That’s the difference.” Now, he advocates for others experiencing homelessness. “It’s degrading. I know a dozen people sleeping rough. It’s dangerous.”
He believes in second chances. “A winner is someone who falls down, gets up again, and gets on with it.” Thanks to Visionwest, Adrian is doing just that.
Visionwest Housing Services
For almost 20 years, Visionwest Housing has provided safe, warm and quality rental homes, alongside support to help people and whānau thrive.
