Formerly homeless man with autism creates free treasure hunting group in Lake Cowichan
Andrew is wearing a pirate patch over his right eye and carrying two big bags on his back. This is not the path he expected to be walking now, especially after his early academic success.
“I skipped three grades,” Andrew says. “Seven, eight, and nine.”
Andrew was told his I.Q. was very high, and his math marks were the best. They also said he had autism.
“I hear all the conversations at once,” he says gesturing all around us.
When I say that must overwhelming, he nods his head in agreement. “Always.”
There are many more things, like filling out forms. Andrew says it’s so challenging to do it, he’s missed out on opportunities for support. He says it led to a life without a home and little food.
“My physical body started deteriorating,” he says, with tears welling. “Every day it got harder to work because I would hurt and then I would have problems because I would have to carry everything.”
Andrew says he carried the physical and emotional weight of having all his belongs on his back for years, but never alleviated it with drugs or alcohol. After eventually finding a stable home and a loving relationship, Andrew realized there was one thing he did crave: an Easter egg hunt.
“I really just wanted one to be a kid again,” he says. “Just for a day.”
That led Andrew to wonder if he could find the same feeling of unbridled joy with an expanded scavenger hunt instead:
“Why don’t I do it for the community?!”
After a lifetime of facing his own obstacles, Andrew started capitalizing on the advantages of his autism to help others.
“I want to make sure that kids who don’t have money and moms who might not have enough to do extras can show-up with no barriers,” he says.
Andrew used his unique abilities to find a way to buy toys on his limited income and created the free Lake Cowichan Treasure Hunters group. Every Saturday, at 11 a.m., he posts clues to find a pirate’s bounty, which includes a treasure box containing a real silver coin.
The Facebook page is filled with pictures of smiling kids wearing pirate patches and holding the treasure they found.
“The kids and parents who talk about it makes me feel like I made the right call,” Andrew says.
The group’s attracted more than 300 members and prompted a local business — The Tube Shack — to sponsor the cost of the toys.
After years of struggling to find a home, Andrew is now building a community by spreading joy.
“I feel like the king of the world! I couldn’t be happier,” Andrew says. “If I never became wealthy, but this continued, I’d be satisfied beyond satisfied.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Ontario urges mpox testing amid spike in cases
Ontario health officials are urging public health units to test for mpox, the viral disease formerly known as monkeypox, amid a spike of confirmed cases in the province.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Don't expect any deals:' Expert says stores may not offer steep discounts on post-Easter chocolate
Those looking to snap up cheap treats at their local grocery store next week following the Easter long weekend could be in for a bit of a surprise as the rising cost of cocoa continues to drive up the price of chocolate, one expert says.