I think the main issue was the way in which the story appeared. The NWWN was clearly casting about for the usual 'feel-good' article, just prior to Christmas, and this item - with its Christmas-associated sentiments of hard times, cave life, rejection and need - fell into their laps. Simply because of the way in which his plight was painted by the reporter offers of help and messages of sympathy flooded in, and he was miraculously offered another flat, just in time for the festive period.
But Mr Tunnock has a very valid point: is it right that because of the newspaper publicity a single person is provided with their needs, when many elderly folk are finding it nigh on impossible to get the operations they need? It's not an easy question, with even fewer easy answers, but the sad fact is that - as a society - we're failing the most vulnerable and have been for some time.