The homeless community mourns a long time member, Jimmy Smith, who died in his van on 2nd Ave. North near Church of the Reconciler on Saturday, February 6, 2010. Jimmy was 69 when he passed away. He had lived in his old grey Ford van for several years, and every time it broke down, a member of the homeless community fixed it for him to prevent it from being towed away. Jimmy was beloved in the homeless community and everyone knew him as "Pops." His health was poor and he didn't like to be in the middle of crowds, so John B. and other members of Church of the Reconciler faithfully carried Pops his meals and brought food, clothing and blankets to him each day from the church as he had need. Pops suffered from both emphysema and asthma. During the cold weather of the past week he contracted a cold/flu-like sickness. The heater in his van was broken leaving Pops with no source of heat during the illness. After several days of cold rain, Saturday was an especially dark cold day, and that is when Pop's body finally gave up the fight. He was found by members of the homeless community who called the authorities. The body was removed and then the police towed the van away. Now the familiar spot on 2nd Ave. that so many homeless people stopped to visit each day sits empty as they mourn. The photograph on the left was taken of a member of the homeless community visiting Pops to check on him less than 24 hours before he died. The photo was originally taken for the purpose of including Pops on this website so that people could be in prayer for him and his health. Ironically, the same picture taken for that purpose is instead being used 48 hours later to post his obituary. Please be in prayer for his best friend, John, and all the other members of the homeless community who ministered to Pops on a daily basis. Thank you to all those who donated blankets, socks, warm clothing and coats in January. A supply of these items were delivered to Pops' van by church members and his final days on this earth were warmer because of the love you sent.
Update: After a news story in the Birmingham News a neice has been located and his family plans to claim his body.
The homeless community mourns a long time member, Jimmy Smith, who died in his van on 2nd Ave. North near Church of the Reconciler on Saturday, February 6, 2010. Jimmy was 69 when he passed away. He had lived in his old grey Ford van for several years, and every time it broke down, a member of the homeless community fixed it for him to prevent it from being towed away. Jimmy was beloved in the homeless community and everyone knew him as "Pops." His health was poor and he didn't like to be in the middle of crowds, so John B. and other members of Church of the Reconciler faithfully carried Pops his meals and brought food, clothing and blankets to him each day from the church as he had need. Pops suffered from both emphysema and asthma. During the cold weather of the past week he contracted a cold/flu-like sickness. The heater in his van was broken leaving Pops with no source of heat during the illness. After several days of cold rain, Saturday was an especially dark cold day, and that is when Pop's body finally gave up the fight. He was found by members of the homeless community who called the authorities. The body was removed and then the police towed the van away. Now the familiar spot on 2nd Ave. that so many homeless people stopped to visit each day sits empty as they mourn. The photograph on the left was taken of a member of the homeless community visiting Pops to check on him less than 24 hours before he died. The photo was originally taken for the purpose of including Pops on this website so that people could be in prayer for him and his health. Ironically, the same picture taken for that purpose is instead being used 48 hours later to post his obituary. Please be in prayer for his best friend, John, and all the other members of the homeless community who ministered to Pops on a daily basis. Thank you to all those who donated blankets, socks, warm clothing and coats in January. A supply of these items were delivered to Pops' van by church members and his final days on this earth were warmer because of the love you sent.
