Gold Coast housing crisis victim and cancer patient Ian Parrish recalls scary run-in with ‘deranged man’ while sleeping in his car

A homeless man fighting cancer has spoken about a worrying run in with a man armed with a large branch while sleeping in his car.

A homeless man fighting cancer claims he was attacked by a “deranged man” while sleeping in his car.

Ian Parrish, 71, is a victim of the Gold Coast’s ongoing housing crisis – and was told on Friday by his GP he has prostate cancer.

Cancer patient Ian Parrish and his wife Erika Parrish have been homeless and living out of their car for more than two months. Picture: Glenn Hampson

In September, Mr Parrish spoke with The Bulletin about sleeping rough in his car for more than two months – and said he and wife Erika “just want to find somewhere to live before we die”.

The couple were on a desperate hunt for an affordable rental – delaying a crucial cancer test.

Not much has changed since, according to Mr Parrish.

Mr Parrish said the man repeatedly struck the window and bonnet of his vehicle with a large tree branch on Thursday night.

“I yelled to him and jumped out of my car and told him to clear off,” he said.

The couple and the car they have been calling home while they hunt for a rental. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Mr Parrish said the bizarre occurrence coincided with recent sightings of “naked men walking around at night and police trying to stop someone from jumping off a hotel balcony”.

He reported the incident in which his car was hit by the man to police.

Mr Parrish previously told the Bulletin he had been unable to find a unit in his budget and properties they would be able to secure were dirty, felt unsafe and were “not really fit for habitation”.

Originally published as Gold Coast housing crisis victim and cancer patient Ian Parrish recalls scary run-in with ‘deranged man’ while sleeping in his car