- Home
- News Grid
- Local News
- Green Hawk
- Business
- Politics
- School Zone
- Nonprofits
- Missing Pets
- Multimedia
- Arts
- Movies
- Outdoors
- Sports
- News Releases
- Columnists
- Blogs
- Opinions
- Classifieds
- Advertise
- Donate
- Partners
Santa Barbara’s 28th Homeless Death Reported
After a deluge of rain Monday, the lingering cold weather probably claimed the life of a homeless man overnight, social worker Ken Williams told Noozhawk Tuesday morning.
Temperatures hovered in the mid-40s Monday night. The man became the 28th homeless person to die in Santa Barbara since the year began.
Williams said the man, a Marine veteran in his 50s who went by the name “Freedom,” was confined to a wheelchair because of various illnesses.
Williams said that many fear for even more deaths as the storms line up and the cold temperatures continue.
“I shudder to think of him sitting in that chair as his core body temperature plummeted,” Williams said, adding that he hopes this is last death of a homeless person he’ll report this year. “His infectious sense of humor was contagious ... I will miss him as will many others.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Comments
Noozhawk's comments are moderated, but by posting here you accept your responsibility to follow our rules as part of Noozhawk's shared online community. Please keep your comments civil and helpful. Don't attack other readers personally, and do not use vulgar, abusive or discriminatory language. Use the "Report Abuse" link if a comment violates these standards or our Terms of Use.
» on 12.08.09 @ 11:05 PM
“I shudder to think…as his core temperature plummeted,” Pun intended Ken? Is Ken trying to tell us that with all the homeless shelters available in S.B. there wasn’t a bed available for “Freedom”? None know, but I bet “Freedom” was intoxicated.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 07:26 AM
Anybody with an “infectious sense of humor” is a friend of mine. It’s also pretty cool to have had a nickname like Freedom.
Who knows if he was intoxicated or not and who cares? He certainly didn’t deserve to die out in the cold no matter what vices he had.
RIP Freedom!
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 07:44 AM
Was there no room in Casa de Esperanza, was he turned away from there? There should be an investigation of this, if so. Or perhaps his choice, his freedom, was taking his chances on the city streets? Freedom is not always the most healthy of choices, sad to say.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 07:53 AM
I applaud you, Mr. Williams. What a burden you carry.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 08:19 AM
Ken,
You are such an advocate for the homeless but not the business owners who suffer from homeless men.
Why not talk about the three homeless men that tried to rib delivery drivers yesterday.
At lease three separate times yesterday they tried to steal beer or liquor
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 08:25 AM
Red Cross reported having beds available but no one coming in. Many homeless refuse to go to certain facilities because they don’t want the Bible forced on them or they’re not allowed to drink booze.
You can’t MAKE people go inside.
And why is it that when the weather turns bad people start pointing fingers about who should take care of this population? Why not when it’s warm and sunny? Or just because they need food? Or because they’re on the street in the first place? We ALL carry this responsibility for compassion and being of service to those who want it.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 08:27 AM
now that they’ve made it such a magnet (yes, Helene, there IS a magnet theory) what extra efforts has the City and incoming Mayor HELENE put into providing shelter for these people making it easier for them to come in from the cold (eg doesn’t matter if they’re drunk, disruptive, etc as in most shelters). Hopefully something—or are they just going to point the finger at others? Stay tuned…
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 09:08 AM
This a sad situation. He sounds like one of the truly needy homeless people, unlike any of the non-SB bums, hobos, transients, and vagrants that have been drawn to SB becuase it’s nice here and we offer to feed and house anyone that moves in.
Also, I’d like to point out that the Casa likes to inflate the death toll by including homeless people who die of natural causes unrelated to their homelessness. (That happened this year.)
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 09:20 AM
One morning I was running early along Cabrillo Blvd and passed Freedom Bradshaw around Milpas. He stopped me and asked me to push him to State St. So we ran that mile hard and he said “Steve, this is the fastest this wheelchair has ever gone!” It was a big thrill for both of us.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 09:40 AM
The last time I talked with Freedom, he was at Pershing Park waiting to eat at the Wednesday meal sharing. He was in tears, sad memories of a family tragedy consuming his thoughts. We talked. I hugged him, wiped his tears, kissed his cheek, and helped him get his dinner. What a sweet man he was. His sense of humor brought smiles to all those who knew him. This is just wrong. A vet, on the streets of S.B. dies in his wheelchair from the cold. Something’s got to change. God, I pray it’s soon!
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 10:02 AM
How is one of the wealthiest countries in the world leaving its veterans to die on the streets? What a shame. Everyone deserves better, but certainly our vets to too!
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 10:33 AM
This is very sad. We are a pathetic society that honors wealth and fame more than human life and dignity.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 10:58 AM
This is very sad. We are a pathetic society that honors wealth and fame more than human life and dignity.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 10:59 AM
Kathy Davis.
“The last time I talked with Freedom, he was at Pershing Park waiting to eat at the Wednesday meal sharing. He was in tears, sad memories of a family tragedy consuming his thoughts. We talked. I hugged him, wiped his tears, kissed his cheek, and helped him get his dinner. What a sweet man he was. His sense of humor brought smiles to all those who knew him. This is just wrong. A vet, on the streets of S.B. dies in his wheelchair from the cold. Something’s got to change. God, I pray it’s soon!”
Why didn’t you offer to take him into your home?
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 11:03 AM
Rather than rely on the expert medical diagnosis of a homeless advocate, let’s see what the Coroner says about the cause of death.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 11:05 AM
Every shelter in Santa Barbara should be investigated 24-7. It don’t matter if they are drunk or not if your going to accept a grant in their name you gotta take care of them. Rest in Peace Freedom your truly FREE now. Thank You Ken for all the B.S. you put up with.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 11:07 AM
The problem is not so much the homeless as not having a boot camp to help our returning veterans. We take months to train them for war and no time to “decompress” them. If he was an alcholic, it was probably due to the war and the events he was exposed. Still why didn’t someone see & report him so he could have been taken to a shelter.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 12:26 PM
“How is one of the wealthiest countries in the world leaving its veterans to die on the streets? “
Just read the comments of the petty scrooges and cynics here and it’s easy enough to understand.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 12:32 PM
Where was Ken Williams…he had to wash his hair? Oh well, Freedom is free now.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 02:12 PM
No, federally-granted shelters do not have to take in those who are drunk. Nor should they: getting drunk is on some important levels a choice and a drunk is or can be very disruptive to others.
But there should be some sort of out-of-the-rain with some heat shelter available for those who refuse to obey the shelter rules. (Just as there are rules against driving drunk, so there are rules against being drunk in public.) Had there been a large tent set up near the jail, about the only open space available, and shuttle service there, would he and the other drunks go there? I wonder.
One can be sad about the choices made but I think we should remember that in the same way as volunteering for the military, these are choices made.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 03:01 PM
I don’t see these people commenting on the wealthiest nation in the world out there helping the homeless. It’s easy to criticize in a warm home on the computer.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 06:25 PM
I have taken in the homeless before many of them. I still feed them if they are hungry and request it, I also given out clothing and spare change when I can and buy pet food for homeless pets when it’s requested. I don’t accept grants in homeless peoples names and pay myself 90,000 thousand dollars a year. What do you do? I also don’t have a nice warm home I have no heat, no car, is there anything else you want to know?
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 09:07 PM
How many of the folks who wrote negative comments below get drunk themselves. Guessing at least a few… Yet we are blessed to have our mental health, money, families, etc. Not everyone has these things to fall back on when times get tough. I think even the richest often turn to the bottle when times get tough too, right, they are lucky enough to have a place to sleep though.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.09.09 @ 10:33 PM
Nicely done Steve Harding.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.10.09 @ 06:09 AM
Americans, and particularly Santa Barbarans are some of the most generous people in the world. There are more non-profit and publically funded agencies per capita in Santa Barbara than in most places in the world.
Yes, some of them are only “non-profit” because the executives pay themselves high paying salary and fringe benefits using their status to conceal their true purposes, like the Botanic Garden and others.
But as some of these posters point out here, there is no evidence “Freedom” sought out and was turned away from the many facilities here that try to help the chronic homeless.
Rather it is more likely that “freedom” enjoyed the lack of responsibility and “freedom” he had on the streets more than his concern for his own health.
There is nothing anyone can do to change such attitudes nor perhaps undo the events that preceded his life on the streets.
You have already flagged this entry.
» on 12.10.09 @ 10:38 AM
Wow, Rodger Dodge, you “pay yourself” $90K a year. You should be careful revealing that - makes you one of the evil rich guys. Why, that’s double the average income in SB. My, my….
You have already flagged this entry.
More Local News »
Letter to the Editor: Will 2011 Bring Change?
Tea Party Movement will be steadfast as Obama tries to force through agenda
Caltrans Highway Information for Central Coast
Rock and mudslides continue to limit traffic on Highway 1
Fire Causes Extensive Damage to Apartment Complex
Santa Maria officials say the cause appeared to be an electrical issue behind a stove
Pacific Coast Highway Closed Between Las Posas Road and Malibu
Nine-mile section remains off-limits because of rock slides
Lanes of Highway 101 Near Patterson Avenue to Close for Pothole Repair
Other state highways closed for flooding and other weather hazards have reopened
Weather: Fair 54.0º
Search Noozhawk »
