Orphaned by Lac-Mégantic derailment, 18-year-old Sébastien Lecours finds a friend — and hope

Sébastien Lecours' father died in December.

Last month, the 18-year-old lost his mother, Marie-Noëlle Faucher, in the horrific train derailment in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec.

Now a compassionate stranger is helping him rebuild his life.

Gérald Gosselin, in his 60s, lost both of his parents before he turned 18.

When "tragedy struck his hometown," he invited the families of everyone who had lost a parents to spend some time at his St-Raymond resort, 55 kilometres northwest of Quebec City, CBC News reported.

"It's just time for us to give back to people," Gosselin said. "It doesn't have to be [those] that we know."

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Lecours was among the people who took Gosselin up on his offer. Gosselin hired the troubled teen to do yard work and other odd jobs around the resort.

"He was very frustrated when he first came here," Gosselin said of Lecours. "He was mad at everyone, and he didn't believe in anything."

Lecours told CBC News that as he worked on building a fence, he thought constantly of his mother, recalling both good and bad times.

"When the time passed, I realized, [this] is good for me," he said. "I needed to be calm and think about me."

[ Realted: Railway involved in crash loses Canadian licence ]

That quiet reflection inspired Lecours to seek change. With Gosselin's help, he's already moved to Quebec City and has a new job. Next, he plans to return to school and get his high school diploma.

Lecours told CBC News that Gosselin's encouragement to live up to his potential was something he needed.

"He's very intelligent," Gosselin said. "He didn't probably have the chance prior to now."