Ballard Neighborhood

goodbyeFRIEND

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PLEASE MEET RONNIE:

I'm beyond sad and very sorry to share that our goodGOOD friend Ronnie LaBranche has died.


I met Ronnie about 11 years ago, back when my architecture practice was along the canal in Fremont. Ronnie lived most of his life homeless. During the time I knew him he mostly camped out of a tent or every so often in a broken down RV.

Ronnie was a survivor. Even though he scared me a bit at first, we connected immediately. We were the same age and grew up probably a mile from each other, him in Ballard and myself on the north side of Queen Anne Hill. I wondered how many times we passed as young kids roaming neighborhoods on our bikes.

Ronnie shared openly about the struggles of growing up homeless. Most of his experiences would have dropped me to my knees. For him they were normal, including the craziness of being in gangs and all that came with that life.

I remember when he told me he had been shot early in his teens. He must have seen my eyes widen and said, "Do you wanna see the bullet hole?" He then lifted up his shirt and pointed to his belly button showing me where the bullet entered him, and then immediately turned around, dropped his pants and underwear, and pointed to his anus, saying, "This is where it came out!"

It took me a second to process, but then we both started to laugh, and kept laughing. That was Ronnie. He always had me guessing what was coming next. He was tough as nails, fearless, funny, loyal and, here's the part that you'd miss unless you got to know him, he had a beautiful sensitive caring heart. Despite his extremely difficult life, he was a really good man.

Early on in our friendship I remember a time he sat down in my office looking depressed. I asked what was going on. After a long silence he said, "I've not told you about my daughter. I still can't say her name without crying uncontrollably." He then shared that it was the year anniversary of her auto accident death. She was just 20 years old. I held Ronnie for a long time as his whole body shook from sobbing. It makes me tear up still just typing it now.

More often Ronnie was the one cheering others up. His kind heart and endless life energy looked out for those struggling. He brought countless young people to my office that had just fallen into homelessness, wanting to help them get connected and prepared for the struggle ahead.

Ronnie was perpetual motion. His survival on the street was a combination of smarts, ingenuity and simple hard work. For money he would scrap metal. Nothing was wasted or thrown away. Everything had multiple functions.

Ronnie also had a twinkle in his eye. He liked people. One of my favorite memories was when Diane Bell brought her daughter Karina, who was in the Girl Scouts, to my office with 53 boxes of girl-scout-cookies to handout to the homeless. Ronnie was there and immediately yelled out loud, "THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE COOKIES IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!" Karina, rather than shying away, leaned forward and handed him a box of thin mints! They became instant friends! Before Ronnie left he emptied out his bag and at the bottom pulled out a women's watch he had found on the street. He gave it to Karina. It was her first watch. The moment was priceless.

There are too many Ronnie memories to share. I'll post a few more with the pictures in the comments below.

I also want to let you know that Ronnie made it into housing a few months before he passed. I think the journey had just been too hard on him and once inside he could finally let go.

Rest In Peace Ronnie. THANK YOU for your dear friendship and all that you taught me. Your spirit is all BEAUTIFUL!

Ballard 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 gift that is meaningful to you--even a “monthly recurring” donation of just $5 in support of the work. THANK YOU!
#justsayhello #facinghomelessness #kindness #TheBLOCKProject

beautifulHUMAN

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PLEASE MEET PATRICK:

A few days ago my friend Michelle, who lives chronically homeless, called to let me know Patrick had passed. My stomach tightened. A feeling of sadness surrounded me.

I saw him a week ago, yelling to him from across the street. He started to cross over to talk, but I said, "Hey, I gotta run, I'll see you later, soon!" I tear up knowing I won't be able to see him again.

If I'm completely honest, there is anger there too. How is that we have not figured out how to provide housing for everyone? Is this as good as we can do? Are we okay with the way it is?

Patrick was 64 years old when he died. He grew up in Ballard. He was as sweet and kind of a man that you'll ever meet. Everyone that knew him, knew that to be true. He brought each of us joy.

He was a regular at the Fremont Cafe Ladro coffee shop. I remember once offering to buy him a cup of coffee while talking with him outside. He said, "No thank you, the nice people here usually give me a cup when I come in." When I was leaving I went over to thank the employees for the kindness given to Patrick and both behind the counter said it was nothing, that Patrick was an extremely nice man, that they loved him.

There are many worlds swirling around us in every moment. We're oblivious to most of them. Only when we stop to take an interest does that world truly become visible. If you take the time to look closer into the world of homelessness, you will find a depth of beauty there that will open and change you profoundly.

Patrick created this change for many by sharing his humanity.

Once I saw him sitting on a bench with his head in his hands, then a few days later he was leaning up against a building in an alley. I came over to ask if he was okay, he said, "Two of my brothers passed away." It was weighing heavily on him, so much sadness.

So often the dehumanization of homelessness has us forgetting that we all have feelings, that the heart feels love and pain whether you live inside or outside.

Patrick is one of those folks that had an extra charm to him, a twinkle in his eye. He was always happy to see you, eager to share thoughts or concerns. I remember once, as he was leaving the FH office, he stopped, turned to us and said, "Sometimes I get claustrophobic living in this universe!"

You are free from it all now my friend. So many blessings to you for being such an extremely beautiful human being. I just want to say, THANK YOU, for being you. You will be missed and always LOVED.

Ballard 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!
#JustSayHello #FacingHomelessness #Kindness #TheBLOCKProject #yesinmybackyard