When someone dies in a news worthy way – suddenly or in an unexpected manner, in other words – before the name is officially released by the coroner days after the death, reporters will comb social media trying to discover the identity of the person and anything of interest to share, such as the person’s job, hobby or family.
(Thus, always have a nice profile photo up, not the one where you are doing belly-shots in a Mexican punk bar, unless that is the photo you want splashed across the 6 p.m. news should you meet an untimely demise.)
When the Squamish RCMP announced a man had died in his tent after an explosion last weekend the news spread quickly through the media, but there wasn’t the usual rush to find details about the individual. "Why?" I wondered. Then I went back and reread the RCMP press release. The man was homeless at the time of his death. It seems the assumption is that people wouldn’t care about the person once they know he or she was homeless. Four walls make our lives more valuable?
On The Squamish Chief Facebook page we got less than half the hits for the death of this man than we did on an elk hit by a vehicle (don’t write angry letters folks, I love elk too).
The name of the man who died in that tent has still not been officially released, but I have been in contact with his sister who said I could share a few things about him. He was definitely loved. He played guitar and loved the outdoors and is described as a “karaoke superstar.” He was on Facebook and posted sometimes funny and sometimes sad updates. He mattered to many and he should matter to you, dear reader.
According to a Coroners Service report, 48 per cent of all homeless deaths in B.C. are accidental, compared to 17 per cent for the rest of us.
Most who die are between the ages of 40 and 49, while a person with a home lives to about 76 years old.
Squamish lost 12 of its vulnerable in 2015 alone, according to Squamish Helping Hands. These people are our neighbours and someone’s brother, sister, father, mother or lover. Until we care as much about each of these people as we do about the death of a businessman, or elk, how can we truly end homelessness?
