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Solid as a rock

December 01 2024
© Chris Bird © Chris Bird

Solidarity and friendship can be forged in unlikely places. An interview by Darren Harvey

“He’s my bro”, “She’s my sis”, retort Lyndon and Jill in unison. They form the most unlikely of friendships, having met as residents at a supportive accommodation project for homeless people.

Six years ago, Lyndon arrived at the Solace Community in search of a place to stay. He was suffering from a mental breakdown. On top of that, he had been diagnosed with leukemia. Isolated, depressed and homeless, Lyndon ventured to the reception area of the hostel where he first met Jill.

She recalls the day. “When I first met Lyndon, he had a lot on his mind. He looked lonely, lost and confused. I started talking to him and he broke down into tears. I literally had to take him by the hand to staff members so that they could take care of him.

“Something clicked that day and it was Jill who gave me every reason not to give up,” explains Lyndon. “We weren’t related. We had nothing in common. We didn’t know each other until the day we met, but there was this instant inseparable bond we had almost immediately.”

Jill came from equally harrowing circumstances. A survivor of domestic and substance abuse, she found solace in “the Solace Community”, an organisation that assisted her mental health recovery from the traumas she had endured in her life. 

From that very moment, their friendship blossomed. For two years, they lived separately in the main hostel that provided them with round the clock support in their mental health recovery. Four years ago, they were deemed strong enough to begin life together as “bro and sis” in a semi-independent home away from the main hostel.

“We both share the cleaning and the cooking. But I must admit, nobody can beat Lyndon’s brown stewed chicken. The best in the world,” Jill smiles.

The support staff of the Solace Community saw how a drastic improvement in their mental health had derived from their bond of friendship.
Recently, Lyndon passed the 10-year anniversary of his leukemia diagnosis. It is a testament to Jill’s friendship that he has remained healthy and stable for so long.

“Whenever I visit the hospital for a blood test and check-up, Jill comes with me, supported by Solace staff. Whenever I am in bed feeling unwell, Jill asks me if I want anything from the shop. Without a doubt, if Jill were poorly, I would be there for her too.”

Lyndon is also very protective of her. “If anybody says anything hurtful about Jill in the hostel, I get very defensive. I simply wouldn’t let anything or anyone harm her.”

Vice versa, if anyone says anything about Lyndon, Jill is quick to defend him. “Don’t worry about it,” is her motto when he is visibly affected by his past.

So, what would their lives be like without each other? Jill’s answer is honest and conveys the depth of their sibling-like bond. “My depression would deteriorate very quickly. Knowing that there is someone there who understands me when I am feeling down and depressed, helps me tremendously to get through life. When Lyndon comes out with something funny and sarcastic, he always puts a smile on my face. That’s why I call him Mr. Sarcastic.”

Jill further adds, “Bro is a good listener. Although he can’t solve my problems, having somebody there to talk to gives me the courage I need. When he gives his point of view and perspective on things, they don’t seem as bad as I thought they originally were.”

For Lyndon, Jill’s strengths lie unequivocally in her ability to be brutally honest. “Sis tells me exactly what I need to know, even though I don’t like hearing it. Her perspective on things is always spot on and I have learnt the hard way to follow her advice rather than blindly following my own when it comes to decision making.”

Their friendship came out of nothing, a chance meeting. The only thing that they had in common was their differences. It is very rare in this world to find two lost souls who have found their respective soulmates, but Lyndon and Jill are testament to that possibility. They embody strength and endurance and their story is an inspiration to anyone who is lonely and losing the will to fight life’s battles on their own. In the face of adversity, Bro and Sis found each other. Whether it was fate that they met or by chance, their unbreakable alliance represents the true spirit of solidarity.

< Listening, the key to visibility
December 2024 – January 2025 : Solidarity

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