Michael Rogers – aka the trolley man – walks down the streets of Melbourne with a sense of pride he’s not felt for more than 30 years.
People shake his hand and pat him on the back. They call him a hero and they wish him well.
For a career criminal like Rogers, 46, it’s an odd feeling. It’s a good feeling. And one he wants desperately to hold onto.
‘I want to be a good guy,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I’m going to try anything to do the right thing because I just wanna get a place to settle in that I like, and set it up the way I want it,’ he said.
Michael Rogers – aka the trolley man – walks down the streets of Melbourne with a sense of pride he’s not felt for more than 30 years
Returning to the scene of the atrocity on Tuesday night, the shy and softly spoken hero recounted the moments of madness that saw him charge at the killer with a trolley (pictured)
For the past five weeks, since his release from jail for stealing a bike, Rogers has been living in a commission home in Footscray that doesn’t even have power.
He has no television, no internet, and smashed his phone while going to the aid of police on Bourke St.
He has been overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers after living most of his life on the streets.
A Go Fund Me page organised by the Melbourne Homeless Collective hit $136,000 on Tuesday night.
Founder and managing director Donna Stolzenberg has pledged to put the money in a trust for Rogers, which will ensure he doesn’t blow it all at once or get taken advantage of.
Just last night, the Collective handed him over $500 and bought him a new phone.
Rogers immedieatly treated himself to a spaghetti marinara and some pizzas from his favourite restaurant La Porchetta.
Rogers (pictured) has been living in housing commission where he has no television, no internet, and smashed his phone while going to the aid of police on Bourke St
For a man who has lived rough and on the wrong side of the law for too long to remember, Rogers displayed amazing insight into his future prospects
Rogers didn’t know the man he was attacking (pictured) was armed with a knife and didn’t even know police had shot him dead
Returning to the scene of the atrocity on Tuesday night, the shy and softly spoken hero recounted the moments of madness that saw him charge at the killer with a trolley.
Rogers didn’t know the man he was attacking was armed with a knife and didn’t even know police had shot him dead – he thought they’d just zapped him with a stun gun.
For a man who has lived rough and on the wrong side of the law for too long to remember, Rogers displayed amazing insight into his future prospects.
‘It certainly gives me a positive outlook. Don’t get me wrong, it’s going to be a tough task because I’ve been living the way, and doing the things I have for 30 years mate – I’m 46,’ he said.
He knows he now has all the help in the world and people are determined to see him turn around his life.
But hard knocks are no doubt likely to continue.
Even as he gave a television interview to Channel 10s ‘The Project’ on Monday night, someone made off with his bicycle, which was locked to a pole just around the corner from where he made his mark on Melbourne.
It was probably karma, some on the streets suggested.
While Rogers hopes to enjoy some creature comforts most Aussies take for granted, he said he wouldn’t forget those left on the streets and has pledged to give $15,000 to charity
For while Rogers has plenty of people backing him, he still has his knockers.
A homeless man berated Rogers as he recounted his heroic deeds before workers waiting to board a peak hour Bourke St tram.
‘I did time with him,’ a man shouts. ‘He’s not homeless.’
Rogers takes it in his stride.
He’s more annoyed that Melbourne radio personality Neil Mitchell didn’t support him getting the money.
‘That disappoints me to hear Neil didn’t back me. That hurts,’ he said.
Rogers only made the trip back into Melbourne because he felt obligated to go and pay his respects to Sisto Malaspina at Pellegrini’s.
While Rogers hopes to enjoy some creature comforts most Aussies take for granted, he said he wouldn’t forget those left on the streets and has pledged to give $15,000 to charity.
‘I’m gonna share it around. I’ve already told the Salvos, I’ll take a select few out to restaurants – I’ll pay for everything,’ he said.