Erin Christie

Morning Star Staff

香蕉视频直播淚n a different time and place, we could have been friends.香蕉视频直播�

He was articulate and well-spoken. He was great at self-reflection. He liked watching the Vancouver Canucks. And more often than not, he lived at the Howard House Men香蕉视频直播檚 Shelter.

香蕉视频直播淗e had been coming to our shelter on and off for a few years, and we hit it off right away,香蕉视频直播� Steve Soglo, manager of shelter services at the , told the crowd gathered in Polson Park Thursday afternoon to honour people whose deaths were linked to homelessness in 2017.

Thursday香蕉视频直播檚 service remembered 15 men and women.

香蕉视频直播淚n a different time and place, we could have been friends香蕉视频直播� this (was a) guy, who was my age who struggled in life,香蕉视频直播� he added.

After not seeing him for nearly a year, Soglo said he began to wonder what happened to his would-be friend香蕉视频直播攊f he had achieved his goals, or if life had gotten better for him. Then one day Soglo香蕉视频直播檚 coworker showed him the man香蕉视频直播檚 name in the obituaries.

香蕉视频直播淭his guy in his 40s, who I had hoped so much for, was gone. And then you wonder how it happened.香蕉视频直播�

Chuck Harper, a chaplain at First Baptist Church, and the organizer of the annual service, says people like himself and Soglo rarely, if ever, find the answer.

香蕉视频直播淭here are usually rumours, but because of privacy issues, no one but the person香蕉视频直播檚 family is given any information,香蕉视频直播� he explained before sharing a similar story of his own.

香蕉视频直播淢y friend died behind a gas station香蕉视频直播� his body was found behind a dumpster, and I don香蕉视频直播檛 know why or how. And even worse, there was no obituary, no memorial that I香蕉视频直播檓 aware of香蕉视频直播攏othing. Nothing was said. There was more in the news about a car accident that had happened that day than about him. That really affected me.香蕉视频直播�

Harper said he has experienced too many of these 香蕉视频直播渦nder-reported香蕉视频直播� deaths over the course of his nearly 30 years working with some of the city香蕉视频直播檚 most vulnerable citizens as a pastor and frontline worker.

香蕉视频直播淥ne of our guys had fallen down the stairs at Gateway (Shelter) and that was the straw that broke the camel香蕉视频直播檚 back. I needed to do something,香蕉视频直播� he said, referring to the moment he decided to spearhead the memorial in 2014.

香蕉视频直播淭here were 15 deaths that year香蕉视频直播擨 had all I could stands and I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 stands no more.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not about camps香蕉视频直播�. It香蕉视频直播檚 not about bums. It香蕉视频直播檚 about men and women who are dying and we need to do more to stop it.香蕉视频直播�

Popeye reference aside, Harper said the number concerns him, but the causes are even more alarming and speak emphatically to the harsh realities of poverty and the dangers of living on the street.

In his research, Harper said he learned that the No. 1 cause of death among the homeless population is compromised health, which includes death related to overdose, exposure and malnutrition. The second leading cause of death is cancer.

香蕉视频直播淭here are as many reasons for being homeless as there are homeless,香蕉视频直播� Vernon City Coun. Juliette Cunningham said during her turn at the podium Thursday afternoon. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 (homelessness) a very divisive issue and it香蕉视频直播檚 becoming a partisan issue. But it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 matter which political party you support, we need to look at this from a human perspective.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not about camps or people in camps. It香蕉视频直播檚 not about bums. It香蕉视频直播檚 about men and women who are dying and we need to do more to stop it,香蕉视频直播� Harper added.

Having panhandled on the streets of Vernon when he was 16 after being kicked out of the house for his destructive behaviour, Harper said he knows first-hand what kind of complications some of his 香蕉视频直播済uys and gals香蕉视频直播� on the streets are facing.

香蕉视频直播淚 was an alcoholic by the time I was 22. I was drunk and blacking out, and I realized I needed to make a change. I香蕉视频直播檓 married with five kids and nine grandchildren now, but if it wasn香蕉视频直播檛 for people reaching out to me and helping me and my brokenness and holding me accountable, I would have been dead or in jail many years ago,香蕉视频直播� he noted.

香蕉视频直播淣ot everyone is so lucky, and I do my best to reach out and help these people, like people helped me so that they don香蕉视频直播檛 end up dead behind a dumpster like my friend. People get angry about the camps and some of the things that go on at the camps and I understand that, but it香蕉视频直播檚 important to remember these are not nameless, faceless, bad people香蕉视频直播� that they香蕉视频直播檙e all individuals. They all have a story.香蕉视频直播�