'I will never forget you': Ex-homeless man thanks station staff for their care

ANTWERP, Belgium, Johnny, a Dutch man who spent months homeless at the Antwerp-Berchem train station, returned to thank the ticket counter staff for their unwavering support.

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We made an agreement with him that he could stay in the hall if he stayed away from alcohol.

Initially, the staff were bothered by Johnny's disruptive behavior due to his alcohol consumption. However, their perspective shifted, and they began to help him. They encouraged him to stay sober, offering him a safe place to rest in the station's waiting area. "We made an agreement with him that he could stay in the hall if he stayed away from alcohol," said ticket agent Nathalie Garitte.

As Johnny made progress, the staff grew fond of him, offering him coffee and sandwiches. The station became a sanctuary for him, and they shared many conversations and laughs. "Our ticket hall had become a refuge for him. We talked and laughed a lot with Johnny," Garitte added.

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Our ticket hall had become a refuge for him. We talked and laughed a lot with Johnny.

On his birthday, the team pooled money to book him a hotel room, allowing him to shower and have breakfast. The NMBS (Belgian National Railway Company) social services eventually arranged housing for Johnny in the northern Netherlands. The ticket counter colleagues also contributed to his train ticket to Leeuwarden.

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On his birthday, we as a team in Berchem booked a hotel stay for Johnny together.

In a video message, Johnny expressed his deep gratitude: "Dear NMBS staff, I want to thank you very much. I will never forget you."

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Dear NMBS staff, I want to thank you very much. I will never forget you.