Trail Family
My first memory of her is from 2016. We had just begun seeing patients Monday nights upstairs at Micah. She was one of the heaviest homeless people I had seen. And taking the most meds. She had insurance, so she wasn’t there for refills, although that didn't stop her from asking for over-the-counter things. She would sit on the floor and point to what she wanted. Tylenol, claritin, pepto. Do you have a backpack? A blanket? A knee brace?
She would argue about her place in line. Curse at people. It was hard to get her to leave. I remember she was rough on Sofia. And good practice for her as a high school student thinking about going into medicine. Not every patient is going to be easy and agreeable.
Over the years Care Beyond the Boulevard (CBB) grew and expanded and Angie was always a fixture. She would come to most clinics at most locations on most days of the week. When I started doing Thursday nights at Cherith Brook right before the pandemic, she was there. Eating a community meal and checking her vitals and talking to people.
She had a bad knee for as long as I knew her. At first she was too heavy to have it repaired, and then later although thinner, she couldn't quit smoking long enough, or would cancel at the last minute. Limping around, always wanting knee braces and canes. Even an occasional wheelchair.
She would sit in the chair at CBB and take her own blood pressure. Pulse. Oxygen saturation. Blood sugar. There was a time she was pretty good at it but the last year or so it took forever. She would forget what she was doing. Moved much slower. Dementia? Drugs?
I first began volunteering in the area in 2008 at Cherith Brook and Micah. I spent the night on the streets with Caleb for the Festival of Shelters. I rode around in a pickup with Chris and KK and Sharol looking for patients in the woods and under bridges. In the early days we wouldn’t finish until midnight. We’d go to Shalom House in KCK. North of the river. Parks and side streets and vacant lots. I’ve seen hundreds of patients. Many strange things. A few creepy things. There are artists and poets out there. More than you think.
We’ve certainly had some wins. And so much loss.
I honestly never knew a lot about Angie outside of her medical issues. Her housing situation was always tenuous. Her relationships were as well. At CBB, I tend to focus on whatever patients want at the time. Medication refills. Removing sutures. Redressing wounds. Listening to their stories. Their gossip or fights or other quick updates.
I did know that Angie loved being around people. Whether eating or getting medical care. Protesting or asking for a ride. Holding hands in a prayer circle. Hanging out in front of Cherith Brook. Or getting a snack at Peace Church.
So, it only took a few hours before people started to notice she was missing. And although she was taken out of a camp as a Jane Doe, it wasn't long before she was identified and mourned and remembered as the very unique and loved individual that she was.
This past week I’ve thought about her a lot. And tried to understand why her death has affected me so much. Unlike Angie, groups and crowds make me anxious. It takes a lot for me to go to events or to ask for help. I didn't even go to her celebration of life last weekend. We were very different. But I think in the end, in some deep subconscious manner, we were linked in a way that is rare in this life. Like part of my trail family on this long complicated journey. And for that I am grateful.
And I will miss her.
Holy One, thank you for those people that walk alongside us in this life. Sometimes they help us, sometimes we help them. Open our hearts as we recognize and appreciate these people. Amen
Brandon is a member of Peace Church and is grateful for many of you as well.