Modesto vigil honors those who lived, died on the edges

They lived in the margins, with lives often consumed by drugs, drink or mental illness.

But on a cold and rainy Monday night in Modesto, about 300 people gathered at a candlelight vigil to remember 26 homeless men and women who died in Stanislaus County in the past year.

“They are human beings made in the image of God and deserve respect, even though their living situations and choices may marginalize them from the rest of society,” said Kevin Carroll, executive director of the Modesto Gospel Union, one of several faith leaders who gave a prayer at the vigil. “They are fellow human beings.”

This was the 10th straight year that local homeless advocates and service providers have held the candlelight vigil on the first day of winter. The event was part of National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.

The Salvation Army, Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ Modesto Junior College chapter and Golden Valley Health Centers sponsored the vigil, which was held at the Salvation Army’s Berberian Homeless Shelter and Transitional Living Center at Ninth and D streets, near downtown.

Rick Hernstedt was among those who were remembered Monday night. The 54-year-old homeless man died in September after being hit by a car in Modesto. He had been homeless for at least 11 years, according to his family.

“It’s a long story and a sad story,” said a family member, who asked not to be identified. She said Hernstedt struggled with mental illness and substance abuse. He was fine when he was on his medications. The problem was staying on them. “When they go off what they need so desperately to keep them in balance, there is no coping,” she said. “It’s very sad.”

Another family member said Hernstedt never seemed to recover from the death of his father when Hernstedt was a teen. “He just seemed to get on a path that he could not get off. We tried so many ways to help him ... but nothing seemed to work and then he just seemed to disappear. It was so crushing to have this be the end. We kept thinking we would find him.”

About 50 family members and friends gathered Dec. 15 at the Clovis Cemetery for a memorial for Hernstedt.

The list of names was much longer than in previous years, in which typically a dozen to 18 homeless people were remembered. Behavioral Health and Recovery Services spokesman Dan Rosas said his agency did a more thorough job this year in determining how many homeless died.

Berberian operations manager Kal Bizek estimated the turnout at about 300 people, with about 200 of them homeless. He said the homeless included those staying at the Berberian emergency shelter, some from the Gospel Mission shelter and those who are living on the streets.

The Sandhu family of Tracy – which owns the Modesto Truck Plaza on Seventh Street – donated new jackets, blankets, gloves and other warm clothing for the homeless. Aman Sandhu said his family has been making similar donations to homeless shelters and Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the region since 2008.

The event also honored Al Hunt, a Golden Valley board member and former homeless man who died this year. Hunt had been a police officer and served in the Marines before becoming homeless.

Bizek said the vigil can remind the homeless of their mortality and motivate them to seek help.

“It can be a wake-up call, that there still is hope,” he said. “About half of the overnight clients (at the emergency shelter) are regulars and have been here for years and years. They are not going anywhere. They are going to be homeless next year unless something happens to interrupt that.”

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 7:35 PM with the headline "Modesto vigil honors those who lived, died on the edges."