A Tribute to a Courageous Homeless Lady

I met Christine (not her real name) on the street months ago.  She was homeless on foot.  She must have been in her mid-to-late sixties.  She was friendly and cheerful.  If it weren't for the scarf that covered the majority of one side of her face, you wouldn't have known she was very ill.

As we talked, Christine kept pulling down the scarf to make sure no part of that side was exposed.  She told me she had a malignant tumor that was gross looking, and she didn't want me to see it.

Christine said the doctors did everything they could for her, and she was at peace with her situation.  The tumor was growing and oozing, and she was biding her time.

After Christine left, I sobbed.  She was a lovely woman, and it saddened me greatly that she had to or chose to spend the rest of her days alone on the street.

I saw Christine two more times and after that she didn't return to the area.  I talked with several homeless people who knew her, and they had not seen her in a while.  They assumed the worst.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Christine, a very courageous lady.




Note: Numerous details were omitted to respect the privacy and protect the identity of the homeless person above.  

I share this brief story with you because most people do not hear about the tragedies that happen in the homeless life.