'It's nice to help people': Tiger-Cats' Van Zeyl again bringing awareness to homelessness

Even on his worst days, Chris Van Zeyl has never had to worry about having a roof over his head, a warm bed to sleep in or where his next meal was coming from.

On Friday night, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats veteran offensive tackle will again leave the comfort of his Burlington, Ont., home and spend the night in his Dodge Charger to help bring awareness to homelessness.

"You look at how extremely lucky and privileged we are to have a house and a warm bed, it's very sobering," Van Zeyl said in a telephone interview. "It's very tough to digest at times that this is a reality for some people.

"It definitely makes you look in and realize how lucky and fortunate you are."

This marks the second straight year that Van Zeyl, 38, will participate in the Sleepless in Our Cities initiative spearheaded by United Way Halton & Hamilton. The program supports those facing homelessness, poverty, and unemployment.

Van Zeyl won't start up the vehicle during the night. And once again, the native of Font Hill, Ont., is accepting donations for the program on his Instagram and Facebook pages.

Last year, the six-foot-six, 312-pound Van Zeyl endured -10 C temperatures — the same low in Friday night's forecast.

An avid outdoorsman, Van Zeyl knows all about dressing for the elements. But nothing prepared the two-time Grey Cup champion for the challenge of trying to sleep in a car during the winter.

"It was an eye-opening experience," Van Zeyl said. "It kind of brings to light many of the struggles and what some people must endure.

"For me, it's one night. For them, it could be several nights or the entire winter. I mean, it was -10 C and there's a lot colder nights throughout the winter. Again, it's very sobering."

Especially considering homelessness