A disabled homeless man is found murdered at an elementary school.
For most people, that's all they'll ever learn about Michael Nestoruk.
The 41-year-old's life before his grisly death Thursday has been an enigma to police, but a snapshot of the man taken two years ago reveals much more.
In February 2007, Nestoruk contacted 24 hours months after a photo of him - sleeping at Victory Square with his beat-down wheelchair by his side - was used on the cover.
Seeing himself as the poster boy for homelessness turned out to be a shock to Nestoruk's system, and a huge motivator as he battled to reclaim a normal life.
"I was pissed off because there I was exposed to everyone," the fiery father of two was quoted in "Back from abyss," a feature that ran in 24 hours on Feb. 27, 2007. "It's the only picture of me on the street and I thought 'what are my kids going to think when they see this?'"
He was estranged from his wife and his two children.
With the help of two B.C. Paraplegic Association outreach workers, Nestoruk dragged himself out of a drug-addicted lifestyle one step at a time.
He received a new wheelchair, a prosthetic leg and became an inspiration to others as he kicked a destructive drug habit and joined the province's wheelchair tennis team.
His recovery - helped by an insatiable desire to reconnect with his children - was so remarkable, the BCPA began doing outreach work in the Downtown Eastside.
"Mike has shown us what's possible," BCPA executive director Melanie Crombie told 24 hours March 2, 2007. "We're working on a program that helps people with a disability and fighting addiction or poverty rebuild their lives."
Nestoruk embraced his mentor role.
"I have a bachelor in addiction," he joked.
Despite numerous follow-up attempts, Nestoruk fall off 24 hours' radar until he was identified as the "disabled homeless man" found dead at Sir Guy Carleton elementary school last Thursday.
Other than reports of him pan-handling along Kingsway and minor run-ins with police, not much is known about Nestoruk's life immediately before his death.
Yet, Michael Nestoruk's legacy will live on as the inspiring soul who looked himself in the mirror and - for a glorious moment - showed thousands of people how to overcome adversity.
