KITCHENER -- “He was a guy you felt you can sit down, and trust, and open up too.”

That’s how friends will remember Mike Everett, the Kitchener man who dedicated much of his life to helping people who were struggling with addiction.

Everett, the founder of “Struggles of our City”, died on Nov. 24 at the age of 35.

Those who knew Everett say he impacted the lives of everyone he met.

“The guy had a heart of gold,” says Rick King. “I told him the second or third day we met: ‘You and I are going to be really tight friends from now until the end.'”

After battling his own addiction issues, Everett made it his mission to help others.

Nadine Green, who volunteers with “A Better Tent City”, says sharing his experiences made Everett more relatable.

“He did connect because he had struggles of his own,” she says. “He always knew what to say. He was just amazing.”

Everett started “Struggles of our City” to help other people who were dealing with difficult situations.

He was also a regular at “A Better Tent City”, the community group in Kitchener dedicated to providing safe shelter.

“When I met him, I loved him instantly. He had the same vision for the homeless that I had,” says Green. “If somebody needed coffee, somebody needed someone to talk to, someone needed something to [help them] set up an apartment, he was always right there.”

King, who is a tent city resident, says Everett also helped him. He now works fulltime and is looking forward to a bright future.

“We seemed to be both on the same page,” he says. “We had a lot of the same interests. It just kind of snowballed from there. He was a guy you felt you can sit down, and trust, and open up to.”

Jay Broadhagen says his friend’s life was dedicated to kindness and compassion, and he wanted to make the world a better place for everyone.

“He didn’t want people to feel the way he felt at times, and that’s where the passion comes from.”

Everett’s legacy will now live on through his family, friends and those he helped.

“I just pray to God that someday I’ll be able to fill his shoes,” says King. “It’s exactly where I think I’m meant to be.”

Everett is also being remembered as a loving father to two young daughters, as well as a brother and son.