PLEASE MEET PETER:
Two weeks ago we told you about the passing of our longtime friend Joseph Pidgeon. Today we sadly share that Peter Suom, another dear friend who lived homeless, has passed.
Peter was 28 years old when he came to Seattle. It's a long story but the short of it is that his car overheated on the highway, just outside of Moses Lake where he lived. Before he could get it moved it was ticketed&towed, he lost everything, including his identification. He decided to come to Seattle to start over.
I met Peter shortly after he arrived. He was standing on the slim sliver of concrete that separates the 520 on&off-ramps in the Montlake neighborhood. I said hello and he immediately shared that it was the first time he'd flown a sign, saying, "I've never been homeless before." He was having a hard time being okay asking for money. We became fast friends.
Peter was a reader, reading one to two books a week. Once Facing Homelessness was able to get him a sleeping bag and tent the only thing he asked for after that were books. And books he received! For the next three years this community supplied Peter with a constant stream of reading material. People would roll their window down and say something like, "Hey, you're the reader aren't you? I have a book for you!" Packages of books were being mailed to our office from all over the country!
It was overwhelmingly beautiful for Peter. He said, "I hope people realize that we don't want to be homeless, if there is a way out, we look for it, some of us will find it. The people that care, that say hello or even just wave, do make a difference for those struggling. It helps on a daily basis, when you are hungry or desperate, to get some kindness gives you strength to not make bad decisions. Thank you for that."
And lots&lots of KINDNESS did show up to make a difference for Peter. In addition to the books and encouraging remarks on the street, this community made a big deal of his birthday each year with birthday cards mailed in and cakes baked and delivered!
The biggest act of kindness came when Blair Jordan, a young woman in her 20s, befriended Peter through this page. Blair would visit Peter almost daily to be of help to him. At one point she found him a job, which sadly he was unable to hold due to mental health issues. Eventually Blair connected Peter with Plymouth Housing where he lived for the last 3 1/2 years.
It was through her friendship with Peter that Blair met James Dobbs, who was also living under the freeway off-ramp and homeless for 40 years. James is currently at the UW Medical Center struggling with complications.
Blair will tell you that Peter and James changed her life.
When she first met Peter she was enrolling at the UW for a Business Entrepreneurship degree to do real-estate development. While advocating for them she began to meet people in the social services world, including those working the HOST program at DESC, which became her first job after graduating! So long real-estate development! Now she is at REACH doing out-reach on the street. Her goal is to open a Harm Reduction Skilled Nursing Facility which I have no doubt she will accomplish!
In this moment of sadness I am reminded of how beautiful Peter was as a human being. How gentle and grateful he always was and how easily he shared his smile and friendship.
While Peter is gone, he lives on in the beautiful positive change he created in those lives that reached out to him. From the simplest smile that so many received, to the life-direction change he helped put into motion for Blair. LOVE you Peter. RIP my friend,
Montlake Neighborhood | Rex
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!
#facinghomelessness #justsayhello #kindness #TheBLOCKProject #yesinmybackyard