Ed Green, a homeless man (seen here in a photo taken last summer), had been a fixture of Denman Street prior to his death in December, and was well-liked by local residents and members of the business community.
Credit: Jackie Wong
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NEWS: Community grieves passing of West End homeless man
A framed portrait of Ed Green currently stands in the window of a framing shop at the corner of Denman and Nelson streets. The recently deceased homeless man’s white hair and bespectacled blue eyes complement the Santa hat he wears for the photograph, taken two Christmases ago by the shop’s staff. Denman and Nelson was Green’s regular haunt: West End residents would see him in the area every day, making work for himself however he could, talking to neighbours, and sleeping on the Nelson Street side of the framing shop.
When a cold snap hit in early December, Green made plans to stay for a week at a backpacker’s hostel. As was his custom, he rang the bell at the back door of the framing shop and told its manager, Mary Marsolais, of his plans. “He had $25 on him,” she recalls. “He said, ‘If I can come up with another $20, I can get in to the [hostel] for one week.’ I gave him the 20 bucks. He was just borrowing it, which he’s always paid back in the past.”
Intent on helping Green get out of the cold, Marsolais suggested he go to a homeless shelter, but he refused, worrying that his belongings might be stolen. He was eager to stay at a hostel instead, where they would be safer.
“I never saw him after that,” says Marsolais, who, for four and a half years, paid Green to sweep the framing shop’s storefront. “That was my last conversation with him.”
A few days before Christmas, a woman who identified herself as a police officer’s wife visited the shop and told staff Green had died. The BC Coroner’s Office is conducting an investigation into Green’s death, but is currently unable to release further information. In the meantime, the shop’s staff has been overwhelmed with people coming to the store, asking about the homeless man who had been a fixture in the community.
“You should see how many people have stood by [his picture in] the window with tears in their eyes,” Marsolais says. “It’s pretty amazing that a street person could touch so many people.”
Green made a living by sweeping the storefronts of local businesses on Denman Street, and running a makeshift car wash on weekends. “He certainly worked his butt off; he wasn’t a lazy guy,” Marsolais says. She fondly remembers catching up on his news of the weekend during their regular Monday morning chats, and the look on his face when he’d surprise her at the shop with gifts. “He was constantly showering me with gifts. He actually bought me flowers,” she says. “If I’d go on holiday or something, and he knew I’d be coming back, he’d come to the door [with a bouquet]: ‘Welcome back.’”
Now, Marsolais says, Green’s spot on Denman feels empty. “When the doorbell rings, I kind of half-expect to see him, and he’s just not there.”
As a tribute to Green’s life, staff of various Denman Street businesses have been discussing the possibility of dedicating a Nelson Street bench in his name.
In an August 2008 interview with WE, at which time he claimed to be 70 years old (the coroner’s office has not confirmed his age), Green said he was ready to live out his final years on Denman. A recovering alcoholic and former Downtown Eastside resident, he said he had been living in the West End for seven years. Sitting in his regular spot at the corner of Denman and Nelson, he would say hello to neighbours walking by. “I know all these people, every single one of them,” he said proudly, “and they know I fight every day, just to live.
“I don’t want to be here — I have to be here,” he continued. “’Cause when my ticket’s up, only one person can pull the plug, and that’s not me. Until then, I’ll crawl, I’ll scrape, I’ll do what I have to. I can’t change the past, I can’t change the future, but I can always be the best I can.”
If so many people cared about this man how come they didn’t get together, raise funds and provide him with a place to live?
they could have rented a small studio for him or put him up in english bay apartment hotel for a little over $1,000 per month.
shame on you
On my part, awfully hard...early on in meeting him, I tried to hook him up with social services, phone access, laundry, etc. but he refused - repeatedly refused over the years. The most I was ever able to get him to accept was help to get into a hostel when it got really cold and he accepted a new sleeping bag one year.
We had sat and visited more than a few times over the years and he was simply adamant that he could/would not live inside long-term anymore. It’s not possible to force someone to take more help than they are willing to accept so I think the neighbourhood tried to look out for him in other ways that he would accept by making sure he had warm cloths, blankets and food. The businesses like The Frame Shop and others helped give him as much of a sense of home and belonging as he was prepared to accept and to participate in.
Ed had some mental health and addiction issues but nothing that could have been used to force him into housing or treatment. I don’t pretend to have the answers to this city’s homelessness problem but Ed’s chosen neighbourhood did what it could to help him ... and he did what he could to help us.
Ed was a proud man who was ashamed to take handouts. He preferred to earn his money. As has been mentioned here, several attempts were made to provide him a stable home. But there’s a fine balance between offering a way out and pressuring someone into a new life.
I’ll always remember this man as a model of self-respect and dignity.
Farewell Ed.
Initial reports are that Ed died while at a friend’s place and that an ambulance attended, but these details are not confirmed yet.
Aaron, I, like most in the west end, rent. Our property manager doesn’t condone guests unless they’re apartment-sitting. I share a small 1 bedroom with another person. I’ve never heard of anyone with a “guest room” in the west end. There are no houses or even townhouses here.
Nevertheless I do see where you’re going though. Sometimes a trusting friendship and a bit of persuasion is all it takes…
There’s a great movie called The Cats of Mirikitani in which a NYC filmmaker brings an aging homeless artist into her home during 9/11 and together they confront and bring closure to his painful past, and eventually get him into housing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jihmTcEEl9U
This is problematic. Rents are higher and landlords are stricter which of course makes this kind of hospitality out of reach for a lot of people. I live now in a tiny subsidized bachelor. When I was homeless myself I was turned away by well-off “friends” who owned their own places and had guest rooms, but they seem to be of a different ilk altogether. Now it’s so much easier for almost anyone on a moderate to low income to fall through the cracks and remain destitute. Something needs to change.
i’ve been working on the DTES for about four years, and have known Ed for the same. not a day would go by that i wouldn’t see Ed, and he was always, and i mean always dropping by one of the sites i worked out to share his food, clothing or what ever else he had with his friends. I’m not surprised to learn how far his kindness and generosity has spread. i can attest for Ed’s refusal for assistance, as i had offered him housing on several occasions. i thank any and everyone who offered back to Ed the compassion he so readily shared with everyone he could.
R.I.P. Edward Green
Steve, we’re in the process of making funeral arrangements for Ed. I’ll be posting the details on this comment area as well as asking the West Ender to run a notice when we have the memorial service fully organized.
I can tell you it will be at Glenhaven Memorial Chapel at 1835 East Hastings St. Our appointment with Glenhaven is Jan. 21st so we should have the final details by the end of that day. As soon as we have a date/time I’ll post that. We’re going to try and make sure we have at least 1 full weeks notice before the service so that we can get the word out to anyone who would like to join us to honour Ed, maybe share some of our favourite memories of Ed and to say good-bye.
The cost of the funeral arrangements and service is fully covered. We’ll be taking donations for anyone in the community who wants to help in order to pay for a marker for Ed’s grave.
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR ED GREEN
Ed Green was a much loved and much appreciated member of our community. His passing in December has been felt deeply by all who knew him. All of the members of our community are invited to join together on February 3rd for a memorial service to honour Ed. Please join your neighbours in honouring this remarkable fellow. There will be an opportunity to share your stories and memories about Ed or if you’d like, bring one of your gifts from Ed and tell us its story.
Funeral arrangements and cremation are being handled by Glenhaven Memorial Chapel. Burial will be at Victory Memorial Gardens in Surry, BC at a later date.
WHERE: Glenhaven Memorial Chapel
1835 East Hastings Street (1.5 blks East of Commercial Dr.)
WHEN: Wednesday February 3rd, 2010 at 3:00 PM
PLEASE NOTE:
The funeral expenses are being covered by Social Services. They will not cover the cost of a grave marker. A collection is being taken cover the cost of a simple grave marker. If you wish to contribute to the cost of a grave marker, cash donations can be made at MLA Spencer Herbert’s Constituency Office at 923 Denman Street. Any donations exceeding the amount required for the grave marker will be donated to the Union Gospel Mission in memory of Ed Green.
QUESTIONS? Email
We don’t know when we’ll have the final coroners report, but the information will be made public once we receive the report (they’re mailing it). The basic info they gave so far was that Ed was with a friend who found him unresponsive, an ambulance was called and he could not be revived. Hopefully we’ll have more information in time for his memorial service.
When i last saw Ed before xmas he confided to me that he had been diagnosed with cancer and asked if he was seeking treatment. He said yes and was going to Mt. St. Josephs for outpatient care. Ed’s life was about choices.
He made his choices and lived and died with them. Its to bad others can’t respect him for them, Mr. Carter.
Ed was no vagrant, he worked for his living, he was helpful, cared about each and everyone of us who gave him the time of day, always had a good story , a wink or a smile. My dog misses her daily pet that Ed always had for her and i miss his twinkly smile.
we miss u...RIP