Mother of homeless man who died says her son was much more than 'a statistic'
CBC
Mary MacDonald wants people to know that her son was so much more than a homeless person.
The mother of three, who lives in Prince George, B.C., was heartbroken when she learned her youngest boy had died early Tuesday morning.
Luke Anthony Landry, 35, was found in the public washrooms outside Moncton City Hall after front-line workers were unable to find a shelter bed for him. An emergency worker at the Department of Social Development said a new policy didn't allow for the provision of an emergency hotel room.
"My first information that came through the media was saying, 'Homeless man dead in front of city hall,'" MacDonald said. "And I'm going, like, 'That's my baby.' You know? They can't keep just calling him a homeless person.
"Luke was a lot more than a homeless person."
He was the father of two beautiful girls, MacDonald said through tears. He was also a son, brother, uncle and cousin and had a large extended family in Cape Breton.
"He was a Christian. He had found God. And he was a rapper of Christian music."
MacDonald said her son, who had been in Moncton for about a decade and was separated from his partner, was released from provincial jail last Monday morning, hours before he was found dead.
"He just got out of jail that morning," MacDonald said, "So he was quite vulnerable. He had no extra clothes. I had sent him $100 and police told me they figured he used it to buy a pair of boots and a pair of jeans."
MacDonald said a friend drove her son to a charity, where they thought he would be helped, but that didn't happen.
She wants to see an advocate appointed immediately to ensure people who are released from jail at least have clothing and shelter, so they get off "on the right foot."
"He asked for help and he was turned away and this is the result," MacDonald said. "That's not acceptable. That can't be acceptable in this world."
She is aware that police originally told another family it was their son who was found dead outside city hall.
"This other family was devastated as well, and, I mean, that's horrible."
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