Community shows support for unhoused woman allegedly targeted by driver in Brossard, Que.

Dozens of people gathered on Montreal's South Shore on Tuesday to show solidarity with a woman experiencing homelessness who police say was intentionally struck by a car last week.

Standing before the crowd with a cast on her leg and bruises on her knee, Caroline Derome delivered a brief but emotional message.

"I feel a lot of love, and it's absolutely helping me right now," she said, addressing supporters and members of the media.

The rally, held in Brossard near the site of the incident, was organized by local shelters and community groups who say the event is a stark reminder of how vulnerable unhoused individuals remain.

On May 27, Derome, 44, was struck by a car just steps from where she'd set up a tent the night prior on a residential street.

The mother of two says she lost her job due to mental health issues, then lost her home.

She was taken to hospital with serious injuries to her legs and needed surgery for a broken ankle after the incident.

Longueuil police said the driver, 46-year-old Luigi Fragomele, deliberately hit the woman with his car. He was charged with dangerous driving, assault with a weapon — in this case a vehicle — leaving the scene of an accident and mischief. He remains in custody, with a bail hearing set for Thursday.

While the motive behind the alleged attack remains unclear, representatives from community groups said the situation highlights the importance of treating everyone, regardless of their housing status, with dignity and respect.

"There's no face to homelessness," said Pierre Rousseau, who manages Halte du Coin, an emergency shelter in the area. "You wouldn't believe how many people I see, people I shake hands with, who don't even realize they're living in a homeless situation."

Martine Audate, who works with the Brossard Consultation Table, a local organization that supports people in vulnerable situations, said the rising cost of living is creating more instability across the South Shore.

"People think it's easier here than in downtown Montreal, but it's not," Audate said. "It's still very hard to get housing here."

For now, Derome is staying with her brother as she recovers from her injuries. She says the support she's received from the community has been crucial to her healing, both physically and emotionally.

"I feel privileged," she said.

Derome said she hopes her experience sparks positive change rather than negativity, and helps raise awareness for the cause.