For more than two decades, home for Miguel Restrepo and Maria García wasn't an apartment or a house. It was a sewer tunnel, tucked beneath the streets of Medellín, Colombia.
How They Met
Miguel and Maria met on the streets of Medellín, a city long associated with drug trafficking and violence, at a time when both were struggling with heroin addiction. Homeless and without family able to take them in, they found something in each other's company that gave them a reason to try to change course: they decided, together, to get clean.
Making a Home Out of a Sewer
With nowhere else to turn, the couple moved into an abandoned sewer tunnel near the city's downtown — a space roughly 4.5 feet by 10 feet, and only about 6.5 feet deep. Over the years that followed, they built it out piece by piece: a small kitchen setup, a fan, a bed, even a television, powered by electricity they ran into the space. They decorated it for holidays, just as any family might, and kept a dog, Blackie, who stayed to guard the home when they were out.
Speaking to reporters when their story first drew international attention in 2012, Miguel said he considered himself content with what they'd built, joking in one interview that he felt he lived better than the president of Colombia.
Overcoming Addiction Together
It was in that sewer, away from the environment that had fed their addiction, that Miguel and Maria say they were able to get clean. Their story spread through international outlets, including Reuters and the BBC, as an unusual example of resilience and partnership found in the most unlikely circumstances.
Where Things Stand
The most recent verified reporting on Miguel and Maria dates to the mid-2010s. As officially homeless residents occupying city-owned infrastructure, they lived with the understanding that local authorities could require them to leave at any time. There's no confirmed, up-to-date information on whether they remain in the same location today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this story real?
Yes, it was documented by Reuters, the BBC, and NBC News, with photos taken in Medellín in December 2012.
Do Miguel and Maria still live in the sewer?
There's no recent, verified reporting confirming their current situation. The most reliable coverage of their story dates to 2012–2017.
Why did they choose to live there instead of seeking shelter elsewhere?
According to their own accounts, they had no family able to house them and found the space during a period of homelessness while working to overcome drug addiction together.