PLEASE MEET BRIANNA:
The glossy photo of Bri I’d promised her sits on the passenger seat. Still awaiting our next chance encounter. She’d asked Debbie to sew her a Hello Kitty mask. It sits on the banister with a post-it attached bearing her name and a small heart. Bri would never receive the mask or photo.
Our friendship with Bri was a journey. A trail steadily gaining elevation, but ending unexpectedly at a precipice. This thought, juxtaposed against the sudden and sheer finality of her death, was sad and conflicting. We were just getting somewhere.
We met Bri a few years back. She lived in a shack of plywood and tarps in the Jungle. It had a wood stove. There was a plastic Santa and a pair of glossy high heels in the mud near the plank walkway outside. In the winter white smoke puffed from the stack. It meant Bri was home.
Bri ran deep but surfaced periodically. Maybe humor and sarcasm disguised deeper issues. I gave her a ride to the store once. When she returned to the car I asked if she got me anything. She said yes. She reached in the bag and handed me a box of tampons.
Bri would lead our conversations, often away from herself or difficult topics. Like the reasons for her homelessness. Or her difficult relationship with her father. I would learn that she valued these encounters more than I knew. But I would never learn the deeper reasons for her homelessness. Or why she lived in surroundings littered with addiction and trash. Crushed human spirits. Mud and rats. Like many living unsheltered, it didn’t make much sense. Perhaps her pride got in the way of discussing these things. Or maybe she didn’t want to drag me down with her problems. Who knows. I guess homelessness and logic are poor bedfellows. So I don’t know why Bri had to die homeless.
At our last visit Bri admitted she was having a rough day. I sensed sadness. Our conversation was notably more real. But when I left, she was happier. That evening I received a text that would be our final communication: “Today my spirit was re-energized. After our visits I always feel stronger. Visible, valuable, viable. Thank you. I wish you knew how it feels to be on the receiving end of our friendship. Love you and appreciate you. -Bri”
Bri’s father is dealing with his own struggles while coping with this loss. We would like to show him that Bri was important and loved by raising $2400 to help with funeral expenses.
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick...
Funds are used by Facing Homelessness to procure this ask. No funds will go directly to Bri’s family and no funds go to Facing Homelessness. If there are funds remaining, they will go to another person who is in need.
Yesler Terrace Neighborhood | Damian
A QUIET THOUGHT - If you’re moved by the goodness of this community, please visit http://www.facinghomelessness.org/ and click on the ‘donate’ button and consider a “monthly recurring” donation of just $5 in support of the work. THANK YOU!
#Kindness #FacingHomelessness #JustSayHello