SAANICH, B.C. — Howie Allan is on an unexpected journey that began where life often ends.
A decade ago, he started visiting a burial park and cleaning the headstones of up to 100 strangers a day.
“I just pay my respects,” Howie says, before pouring water on the grave and scrubbing it clean.
Although he suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on the right side, he volunteers here for hours.
“There’s not much I can do,” he says.
But, after his son died in a workplace accident in China and strangers raised thousands to help bring his boys remains back home, this is what Howie felt he had to do.
After he scrubs everyone else’s headstone, he takes a deep breath and begins wiping his son's.
“This is one way I can give back to everybody,” he says.
But Howie never expected that helping others would help with healing himself.
“And then my whole world changed,” Howie says.
Instead of running away from tragedy, Howie started responding to the police and fire calls he’d hear on his portable scanner, by racing towards it, on his mobility scooter.
“We got to help the ones that are in tough situations,” he says. “And that’s where my group comes in. They are so special.”
He post the information on his Facebook group, encouraging his more than 46,000 followers to help victims with whatever they need, donating everything from clothes and food to housing and money.
“And we come into action the best way we can,” Howie says.
When he’s not arranging BBQ lunches for first responders, or collecting more than 800 toys for kids at Christmas, Howie’s celebrating his recent 60th birthday by offering 60 hampers to families in need.
“You wouldn’t believe the feeling you get when it all comes together,” Howie smiles.
But then Howie couldn’t imagine the feeling he got just a few days ago, when someone posted a video showing Howie pushing his broken, decade-old scooter uphill to his home.
It inspired a GoFundMe campaign, that raised enough money buy Howie a new scooter within hours.
“It’s amazing!” he beams, squeezing the throttle with his one working hand. “I’m so thankful!”
While Howie says he can’t feel more humbled by the generosity, he also couldn’t be more thankful for his beloved boy.
“I know he’d be so proud of me,” Howie says, wiping away tears.
He says his son taught him that while tomorrow is never guaranteed for us, there’s always an opportunity to make a better today for others.
“It’s the love and care we give each other that matters,” Howie says.
