Daniel

This is Daniel. Daniel was having a bad night/bad life as we were out for a date night Friday. We saw him from over a block away, writhing on the sidewalk, trying to find a comfort zone to lie into. I stopped to see if he was ok, and to offer him a couple of bucks. We could tell right away that he was in distress. I called 911 for assistance, and within a few minutes, an ambulance and medics were on scene. Jody (Tom) asked him if we could take him somewhere, and he whispered, "San Francisco". I gathered from the medics discussions that he was in their system: Diabetic, other health issues.

We heard him give his date of birth. He was six years younger than Tom, five years younger than I.

Who knows why, but this time, we didn't pass. We felt helpless, but we stopped for him.

Today, we encounter so many individuals like Daniel here that we become numb to their plight. We see them on the sidewalks, and we pass. We forget their humanity, their individual status in society.

The medics transported him to the hospital, and for at least one night he had a bed. We'll pray for him after this night.

Such a complex issue. But they all have a story, whatever it happens to be. What is their story?