Reverend Bill Crews and Lois Billedo share lifelong bond

Lois Billedo, 49, reflects on her life journey beginning when she arrived in Sydney as a 12-year-old runaway in 1990. After fleeing abuse in New Zealand, Billedo found refuge through Reverend Bill Crews, an advocate for Sydney’s homeless population.

Crews provided Billedo with food at Town Hall and later offered her shelter at the Uniting Church in Ashfield, where she lived for three years. Billedo credits Crews with providing stability and support during critical moments of her youth, including during a pregnancy when she was 15 years old.

Nearly 40 years after their first meeting, Crews describes Billedo’s personal success as a result of her own efforts, while Billedo maintains a deep connection to the man who provided her with a safe place to sleep.