SALT LAKE CITY – Right in downtown Salt Lake City, three friends gathered on the sidewalk in front of City Creek Mall. It is actually where they first met three years ago under remarkable circumstances and where Korey Hathaway used to camp and beg for money.
“In a way I didn’t want to come back here. I hate seeing how I was down here, but in a way it’s kind of a closure,” Hathaway explained.
One of the friends on his doorstep admitted that she didn’t think they would be back together in happy circumstances. “I wasn’t sure you’d ever leave the street,” said Candice Madsen.
In April 2017, Korey Hathaway was living with drug addiction and was homeless for five years. He ended up on the street after breaking his hand in a construction accident and becoming addicted to painkillers and then heroin.
‘You want it first. Then it gets to the point where you need it to make ends meet. In the end I was not myself. I didn’t like myself, ”Hathaway said. “The only thing that got me out was Michael.”
Michael Hansen found Hathaway when he bent down to give a sleeping homeless man a dollar and realized it was his best friend from childhood.
“When I looked up at him, my jaw hit the ground because he was my best friend from elementary school all through high school,” recalled Hansen.
Madsen, a KSL-TV producer, happened to pass by and saw the friends sharing a pizza in the middle of the sidewalk. ‘The longer I looked, the more intrigued I became and finally I heard one of them say,’ Let’s take a picture. ‘ ‘
Madsen offered to take the picture and then they told her they hadn’t seen each other in 14 years. “Then I said, ‘You’re not going to believe this. I’m a journalist and this is a great story.’ ‘
Madsen produced a story about the reunion for KSL-TV and after that people all over the world cheered on the friend.
But getting Hathaway off the street wasn’t an easy journey.
Hathaway said his addiction and fear of failure and abandonment of his family kept him on the street. “I’ve always wanted a way out of my homelessness. I just didn’t know how,” he said.
Hansen’s long journey to get Hathaway off the streets finally ended in the spring of 2018, when Hathaway was hospitalized.
“Michael came and gave me a blessing and it’s been going uphill ever since,” said Hathaway.
Hansen remembered driving to the hospital and thought his friend was going to die. But when he offered the blessing, he knew his friend could live.
“It was then I knew that if he did everything the doctors asked him to do, he would really be alive,” said Hansen.
It was a miracle that Hathaway was alive. He spent nearly three months in and out of hospitals for heart, lung, and kidney failure. Doctors didn’t think he could get off dialysis without a transplant, but he did.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the doctors and nurses,” Hathaway said.
Hathaway gave credit to many people for helping him get his life back – including the dentist who gave him his smile back. “I can eat real food – real food.”
Many friends encouraged him too, but at the top of that list was his mother who never gave up hope.
What more can I say? She’s my mom. Mothers are always there for you, ”Hathaway said.
The rest of his family could also let go of the past to welcome him with much love.
There is always forgiveness. You just have to find a way to receive it, ”Hathaway said.
Since coming home, Hathaway has asked for a lot of forgiveness and has begun to heal many of his relationships, including with his son. ‘I tried to make it up to you. Spend as much time with him as possible. Before it was Korey. Now I am dad. ‘
Hansen said his friend is back with the person he would trust with his life. “I’ve seen him transition from life here on the sidewalk to home, and you can see how wonderful and changed he is,” he said.
Hathaway said there are other reasons that lead to homelessness besides addiction. “Every person has their own story. What made a big difference to me is people stopped talking to me and acknowledging that I was human,” he said.
Hansen and Hathaway wanted to do something special to give back and thank all the people who helped them on their journey. They teamed up with Madsen to produce an old-fashioned radio show based on their story. You can listen to the show here.