Every Monday night there’s a familiar sound that drifts across the large gathering of people at Rosies, Surfers Paradise. 

Music. 

Sometimes it’s an old favourite. Sometimes it’s one of Rick’s own songs, played through the boombox he brings with him each week. Before long, smiles appear, conversations begin, and another Rosies outreach is underway. 

For Rick, music has become much more than entertainment. It has become his voice. 

Rick has experienced more hardship than most people could imagine. A house fire in 2015 took everything he owned. Years later, after moving interstate to escape a DV relationship and living in his car for more than two years, tragedy struck again when Rick swerved to avoid two young men riding scooters. Choosing to hit a tree rather than risk another’s life, Rick walked away, but the car he called home did not fare so well. Without insurance, he spent the next 12 months paying off a vehicle that no longer existed. 

Today, Rick lives in a tent. 

His journey to homelessness wasn’t caused by one event. It was a series of challenges that slowly accumulated over time. 

Adding to those challenges was an HIV diagnosis alongside an ongoing heart condition. Rick knows that many people still don’t understand the condition and the stigma that often comes with it. Rather than hide from it, he has chosen to educate others by volunteering with the Positive Speakers Bureau, helping people understand that HIV does not define a person. 

Ironically, Rick once worked supporting others. He spent years in child safety and worked in a homeless shelter, never imagining he would one day find himself needing the same support. 

He says one of the hardest parts of life on the streets isn’t simply finding somewhere to sleep. It’s navigating the complex world of homelessness while trying to access basics like food, showers and connection. 

That’s where Rosies has become so much more than a meal. 

“It’s the conversation, the friendship and knowing people will be there.” 

Music has always been part of Rick’s life. Growing up in a musical family, he loved to sing but rarely performed in front of others. Last year, someone encouraged him to sing publicly for the first time. That single moment changed everything. 

Today, songwriting has become an outlet for his anxiety, a source of healing and a way of giving back. 

Rick has now written an original song dedicated to Rosies and its volunteers. It’s a way of showing gratitude for the people who turn up every week through rain, holidays and sometimes difficult nights to offer hot meals, warm drinks and most importantly, genuine friendship. 

Those songs capture what Rick believes Rosies really is. 

A family. 

Because sometimes the greatest gift isn’t simply being fed. 

It’s knowing that someone is waiting to welcome you. 

Listen to Tuesday Night Vibes by Rick O’Shea on #SoundCloud https://on.soundcloud.com/15cRcGnwboomKF3L4X