A THREE Towns man who had been ‘abandoned like a dying dog’ on the streets of Manila has been brought home.
Robert Gray, known as Bobby, had been reduced to begging in the Philippines’ capital after falling for what he called a scam.
Now, after four weeks of campaigning by friends in the Three Towns and the Herald, Bobby is back safe in Ardrossan.
The 63-year-old is relieved to be back and has been given a room at the homeless shelter in Princess Street, but has one complaint - about the climate.
“It’s not as warm as the Philippines, [I] arrived Thursday and it was snowing,” he said.
Bobby is so grateful for all the help and support he has received with people checking to make sure he was everything he needs.
READ MORE: Saltcoats man ‘abandoned like a dog’ on the streets of Philippines capital Manila
He had travelled to the Philippines in 2018, having taken his pension out as a lump sum, to start a new life.
But things were not what they seemed and what was supposed to be ‘hunky dory’ became a nightmare.
On the plane back to the UK he said he was thinking about how he had ended up on the streets and said to himself: “I will never be back in the same position.”
After Bobby’s pension money ran out he found himself kicked out on the streets where he had to beg to get by.
READ MORE: Saltcoats man stuck in Philippines capital Manila 'owes his life' to Three Towns
He told the Herald: "I felt alone and that nobody cared what was happening to me and I felt so low. A couple of times I had bad thoughts."
One day a single-mother with two sons, Tats Peregrino, saw Robert crying in the street explaining his awful situation.
She listened to him and was touched by his story, she told the Herald she knew God meant for her to help him.
Ms Peregrino and her sons brought Bobby food and tried to look out for him while Councillor Jim Montgomerie and friends in the Three Towns worked to arrange his travel and documents.
Bobby said: “[Tats] was a really good help to me, always there for me and when I went to emigration as well. I wish I met her sooner. I needed her and she needed me at that time.”
Thanks to donations to a funding page set up by friend Bobby Crozier, Bobby was booked into a hotel in Manila where he was able to rest and recuperate while Cllr Montgomerie worked with the British Embassy to sort out the travel arrangements.
Bobby said he was preoccupied wondering if everything or anything would come together. With help, he finally got his clearance.
He said: “I felt a lot of relief that day, as my nightmare had came to an end.
“I was upset when I left Tats and after I got my visa and emigration clearance I felt easier than I felt in a long time.”
He said: "It was very difficult at times, I think we were impatient, because we had to go through the proper channels."
Having managed to put Bobby up in a hotel, donations from John Bennett of Bennetts of Kilwinning, Kevin Logan of ABC Beds in Stevenston, Davy Thomson and Vanna Sinclair, Tina King at Barrhead Travel was able to book Bobby on a flight back to the UK.
Cllr Montgomerie then drove down to Heathrow to personally bring Bobby home.
Cllr Montgomerie said: "I drove to Heathrow, I just didn't know what to expect. Once I got him in the car I was delighted."
North Ayrshire Council supplied Cllr Montgomerie with a car and gave him the legal advice necessary for him to make the journey under the coronavirus restrictions.
He said: "I am very critical of the council, but every single thing I asked them for, they delivered."
A spokesperson for North Ayrshire Council said: “We were pleased to play this small part in the huge operation to bring Robert home. We are glad to hear that he is now back safely in North Ayrshire with his family and is being supported.”
“When I met Jim at Heathrow Airport I [knew] then that I have good friends in Scotland as they wanted me home,” Bobby said.
Cllr Montgomerie said he was left in tears during the drive back to Scotland as Bobby described his appalling living conditions.
Cllr Montgomerie contacted the British Embassy and Ambassador Daniel Pruce to thank them for their assistance in repatriating Bobby.
Bobby said: “I would like to thank everyone who read and followed my story, and [for] the good wishes and help from friends in North Ayrshire.”
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