Would you go to advocate for something you believe in?
Well for one st.
Joseph man- he's sleeping in a tent and fasting for three days...advocating for st.
Joseph's homeless community.
One he was apart of until 9 months ago.
Kq2's kilee thomas with the story.
Kilee thomas reportingwhile many people are waking up with a full belly from thanksgiving- tracy gillespie is waking up hungry and cold... on purpose.
Sot: tracy gillespie, homeless advocate- "i just want to be out here so people can come down and say, 'hey, this guy is really out here.
He's lonely.
He's sad, lonely.
He's broken."
For three days straight-gillespie is living like a homeless person.
He will not eat.
Drinking only water and coffee given to him by passers by sot: gillespie- "you have a great one."
And sleep in a tent- sandwiched between trailers on sixth streetsot: gillespie- "this is where i sleep.
Got a little sleeping bag.
I kinda crawl in here and curl up.
Stand down, curl up in a ball and cover my head like so."
Until last february- this navy veteran was homeless for 30 years.after getting mental help and support- he wanted to make a change in his communityand step back inside the tent.
Sot: gillespie- "it's an emotional feeling being back out here.""i wanted to project how lonely it can be out here on the street.
Most of our families have abandoned us, society has abandoned us."
"i just want to be that role model, that exhibit on what could happen with proper resources in place."
Sot: homeless man- "he has a warm heart."
On top of fighting homeless stigmas-he's collecting money and warm clothing-sockssot: gillespie- "uh oh, we've got something good.
Oh!
A hot commodity.
We've got men socks.""jeans."
"who doesn't love a bathrobe?"
For st.
Joseph's homeless family.
Reporting in st.
Joseph kilee thomas kq2 news if you would like to donate money and warm clothing to gillespie's "a lonely holiday, sleeping for socks" - visit his tent at halter transportation services at 624 s.
Sixth street.
Gillespie will be there until the 29th
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