Living as homeless

Article in the Street Magazine
There is no evidence of the numbers of homeless people in our park city, but we know that the difficult economical situation and difficult labour market have caused more people to live on the street. Reports from the Salvation Army Shelters tell us that they are fully booked every night, and that they even have to refuse some to come. As long as the weather is not too bad, they know that many prefere to stay out door instead of coming to the crowded centre. Many of the homeless are having severe health problems as well.
In our portrait today we present Anthony, who has been sleeping in the park for many years. The interview was made one month ago, when Anthony was hospitalised because of serious pneumonia. Anthony is no longer with us, but we bring his history because we think his voice should be heard.

Anthony was 72 when he died at the hospital. He had been living as homeless for many years and used to stay in the park, where he had made a shelter for himself.
Anthony was a peaceful man, but he could not stand living indoor. He felt like being strangled and had the feeling of not being able to breath freely.
Anthony had his pension, but he did not use much of it. He did not spend much money on himself and when he died he had much money in his bank account. The only person Anthony felt he had some contact with was John the gardener in the park. They seemed to have a sort of understanding for each other and John talked with Anthony regularly and looked after him when the weather was too cold.

The hospitalisation of Anthony was probalby what killed him. He understood that the authorities would not allow him to continue sleeping rough and wanted him to stay in an elderly home. Anthony knew that he could not stand this.

Before he died Anthony made his will where he left all his money to John the gardener. He also made a letter to John where he explained what he hoped he could use the money for.
This is what Anthony wrote:

Dear Gardener:
If you're reading this letter you will know that I have passed away. My latest will was sending you this letter and the attached package..

The first I want to do is to sincerely thank you for all that you has done for me during last years...

If you open the package you will find some of my loved personal belongings. The old gold watch of my grandparent… A photo from time when a served the Army…

You will also find a bearer check with all the savings I have done during the last years. You can do what you want with this amount of money, but I am sure you will do the best.

Yours Anthony (THIS passage could be presented with a picture of Anthony and his voice over)

The Street Magazine has contacted John and asked him what kind of contact he had with Anthony and what he will do with these money.
John sais: " I have known Anthony for many years, he was a lonely soul, did not want much contact with people. I think I was one of the few persons he talked to and I have to say that I liked him and his way of thinking about many things. I was the one who found him with high fever and brought him to hospital. He did not want to go, but I insisted although I knew that he could not stand to stay inside. I think that what made him die, might not be the pneumonia, but his anxiety for staying inside. But what can you do? I could not let him lay there on his bench with high fewer without getting medical help to him! - or could I?

I was very supriced when I received this letter from Anthony and I'm really sorry that he passed away in this way. I think he would have liked to end his days under the open sky. He had his problem yes, and it's difficult for other people to understand how he could choose to stay as a homeless even though he had the money not to do so. I don't know yet what to do with the money, but they are not mine. I would like to discuss this with the other homeless in this park to hear what they need. I think this is also what Anthony would like me to do, then we have to see if there is anything we can do to support them in a way they can be comfortable with".