Cars Under 3,000 and Autoalex Cars donate van to homeless man

Cars Under 3,000, based in Rayleigh, have donated a 2008 white Ford Transit Connect to Michael Courdes, who has been homeless for more than a year.

Michael, 38, found himself homeless following a failed relationship.

Since living on the streets of Canterbury, he has been urinated on, set on fire, attacked and robbed.

Michael reached out to youtuber Alex Kersten – who runs the Autoalex Cars page which has 314,000 subscribers – asking for advice on how to purchase a van he could live in.

New chapter - Michael Courdes. Pic: Alex Kersten/Youtube

Alex took it upon himself to hunt down and purchase a van for the out-of-luck Michael.

When he called up Cars Under 3,000 and explained the situation, sales and finance executive Taylor Crow took the story to his boss who agreed to donate the £2,500 vehicle free of charge.

Bosses even agreed to kit the van out with bedding, a rug and a camping stove.

“There was no need to get any money back for the van, we just want to help out,” Taylor said.

“We thought we could help him start a new chapter after the shocking things he went through on the streets.

“It may have cost a fair bit to give it away, but it has changed this man’s life, which is absolutely worth it.”

Deal - Taylor Crow hands over the van to Alex Kersten

A Youtube video of the charitable act has already amassed 250,000 views.

In the video, Michael, who has recently secured a job at Pizza Hut and is training to become a hairdresser, explained he was suffering from extreme anxiety following attacks against him while sleeping rough.

“You get abuse nonstop and when you add alcohol to the mix, that abuse becomes violent,” he said.

“Mentally that is never going to leave me.

"They might think it’s fun and games to humiliate a person, but they don’t think of the long-term impact it has had.”

When presented with the van, Michael broke down in tears.

“I can finally close my eyes at night and not be worried something bad will happen to me,” he said.

“Some horrible things have happened to me in my sleep which keeps me up at night.”

Joy - Michael in his new van