‘They gave me hope’ Salvation Army provides shelter for man battling devastating diagnosis

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    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — The Salvation Army of Asheville is one of several nonprofits that have expanded beds to address the city’s homelessness crisis, and every bed has a story.

This Christmas, 50-year-old Jason Plaster is thankful for the gifts given to him by staff at the Salvation Army. Plaster turns 51 in just a few days, but has faced a tough struggle both being homeless and now facing a devastating diagnosis.

“I was working at a hotel and living there as well,” said Plaster of his life in the past year. “And then I got diagnosed with cancer. I lost my job, and a place to live, and was forced to live on the streets.”

Sixty days ago he said he was living on a remote mountain, camping and dealing with bears eating his food and strangers stealing from his campsite. He said he was losing his mind and facing deep depression.

“I almost felt subhuman, living in the woods with the animals.” Then, circumstances became even worse.

“My leg starting hurting really bad, and I thought it was because I was riding my bike so much, because I ride mountain bikes a lot,” Plaster told News 13. “And and I went to the emergency room and they told me I had Stage IV prostate cancer that had metastasized to my bones.”

It was a devastating diagnosis, but Plaster had begun to build supportive services around him and had a counselor he said at Vaya Health who found him a bed at the Salvation Army.

“Simple things, like a bed, people take for granted,” he said.

Plaster has been on a wait-list for a public housing unit for a year.

“They’re just waiting for a unit to open up,” he said.

His bunk where he sleeps is kept neat and around him hang hearts he’s both made and collected — from paper hearts, to drawings and paintings he’s done to a paper weight that has the word love inscribed on it.

“Of everything I own this is my favorite thing. Everything I do is love themed. This is Asheville I painted. And this one has the Spanish word for love Amore. And this one has Kanji, the Japanese word for love.”

Art gives him peace and courage to fight his disease.

“The cancer, I figured love would get rid of it,” he said.

Upstairs at the Salvation Army he’s able to keep his medications for cancer and bouts of depression locked up and safe. He credits staff at the center for showing him love and giving him a safe place.

“Like the name suggests, ‘A center of Hope’. They gave me hope.”

He said other residents there have lifted his spirits in the past two months. During a pre-Christmas party he and other residents received gift bags staff put together and enjoyed eating ice cream. It’s a simple pleasure where he can relax, feel safe and look forward to spending his birthday on Dec. 28.

“I’m grateful to be here,” said Plaster as he began to choke up with emotion. “I probably would have been alone. I would have been alone, so yes it’s very good.”

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