Moe is Ojibway and a member of the bear clan. He grew up in Toronto. When Moe was six and a half, his father was murdered, and he learned he was adopted. He had no idea he was an orphan. He spent the rest of his childhood in CAS care living in six foster homes while suffering from abuse. When he was old enough – Moe hit the streets.

He was in a dark place while mourning the death of his mother. One late night the Na-Me-Res outreach van appeared and brought him to the shelter. He sobered up a while and started talking with the elders – little by little. He learned to smudge and began taking sweats.

“I didn’t know where home was. I was an orphan and didn’t know. I had no sense of family or what it was supposed to be. I am really grateful for Na-Me-Res has helped me a lot.”

Moe has been living in his own place in Etobicoke for the last sixteen years. It is a quiet home away from any trouble. To this day, Na-Me-Res provides a sense of purpose and spirituality. He smudges daily, has his feathers, and participates in rain dance ceremonies.

The cycle has been broken. Now his greatest hope is to meet his adult children, who he had to give up as a young man.