Searching for Mickey: Homeless man’s story sparks call to action

People mobilized Thursday to find Mickey Curran, a homeless man with stage 3 lung cancer who lives on the streets of East Meadow and refused to go to a shelter during the bitter cold.
News 12 first found Curran Wednesday in Eisenhower Park. The 61-year-old said he didn't like shelters and usually spends his nights in a makeshift shelter.
"I'd rather just die out here, I tell you the God's honest truth," Curran said. But he added that he was going to make it.
People grew concerned for Curran, including two childhood friends who hadn't seen him in 40 years but still wanted to help.
On Thursday, Curran couldn't be found at Eisenhower Park or at another spot where he likes to stay. Police checked the nearby Nassau University Medical Center, another place Curran said he sometimes seeks shelter.
Officers finally found him safe in a bathroom at Eisenhower. They say he was in good spirits and had a smile on his face.
Curran agreed to relocate to a local motel for a week, thanks to his friends. They said they would consider a fundraiser to further help Curran.
Overwhelmed with gratitude from the huge effort, Curran says he would "probably be frozen to death."