Mother of homeless man who died says her son was much more than ‘a statistic’ | CBC News

Mary MacDonald desires folks to know that her son was a lot greater than a homeless particular person.

The mom of three, who lives in Prince George, B.C., was heartbroken when she realized her youngest boy had died early Tuesday morning.

Luke Anthony Landry, 35, was discovered within the public washrooms outdoors Moncton City Hall after front-line employees have been unable to discover a shelter mattress for him. An emergency employee on the Department of Social Development stated a brand new coverage did not enable for the supply of an emergency lodge room.

“My first information that came through the media was saying, ‘Homeless man dead in front of city hall,'” MacDonald stated. “And I’m going, like, ‘That’s my baby.’ You know? They can’t keep just calling him a homeless person. 

“Luke was much more than a homeless particular 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 discovered God. And he was a rapper of Christian music.”

Released from jail that morning

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 simply acquired out of jail that morning,” MacDonald said, “So he was fairly susceptible. He had no additional garments. I had despatched him $100 and police informed me they figured he used it to purchase a pair of trainers and a pair of denims.”

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 proper foot.”

“He requested for assist and he was turned away and that is the consequence,” MacDonald said. “That’s not acceptable. That cannot be acceptable on this world.”

She is aware that police originally told another family it was their son who was found dead outside city hall.

“This different household was devastated as nicely, and, I imply, that is horrible.”

By not making the proper effort to identify the person who died, “it seems like they handled him like human rubbish.”

Overdosed earlier in day

MacDonald has tried to piece together what happened to her son in the hours before he died.

He arrived late in the afternoon at the overdose prevention site at Ensemble Greater Moncton, which offers a safe space and support to people who use drugs.

Debby Warren, the executive director, told CBC News on Wednesday that Landry and another client overdosed that same day. First responders were called to help staff at the charity revive him, but Landry was in very bad shape after the near-death experience.

Warren was “gravely” concerned about Landry and spent 90 minutes on the phone contacting shelters, but none were able to accept him.

In a last-ditch effort, she contacted the Department of Social Development’s emergency line in hopes it could provide a hotel room but was again turned down. 

“It was crushing,” Warren said. “I didn’t know what to do for this gentleman — I had gone in all places, I had tried my greatest to search out locations for this particular person to go.”

MacDonald said she hasn’t received any reports yet about what caused her son’s death, but he had been in good health. There is clearly “a really dangerous drug in Moncton proper now,” she said.

“I need to inform these folks, when you’re doing something, please have any person with you. And when you’re doing one thing like that, please make certain of what you take as a result of that is one thing no mother or household ought to should undergo.”

The reality is that her son “was simply thrown on the road,” MacDonald said.

“Something is flawed — the system is flawed. There’s one thing flawed that needs to be modified to permit folks to no less than get assist. How can they count on any person to be completely different?”

Charities, churches and outreach groups have been asking for additional shelter beds from the provincial government for months, and shelters have been telling the Department of Social Development they are over-capacity.

But only after Luke Landry’s death did Social Development Minister Dorothy Shephard announce that a deputy minister from her department will lead a team tasked with getting “very quick outcomes” this week in Moncton.

Options may include more financial resources or calling in the Red Cross to help faith-based groups, she said.

A Moncton city official said an update would be provided at a council meeting on Monday.

‘I want his death to mean something’

MacDonald originally sent her son to Moncton to go to rehab, and although she didn’t want to elaborate on his troubles with the law, she said, “every part he ever did flawed was associated to medication.”

“I liked him to items. I knew of his issues, nevertheless it did not change the actual fact no person ought to have died the best way he did.”

She said Landry’s rapper name was Elekted, and he was well-known in Moncton, trying to help others who were living on the streets.

“He was so sensible,” MacDonald said. “He by no means did nicely at school as a result of he had consideration deficit, however he was so sensible.”

She proudly told the story of how he took a university course in theology in Moncton and, despite only having completed Grade 10, he made the honours list.

“He may quote you from the Bible like no person I do know. And certainly one of his good buddies stated — certainly one of his posts on his wall was, ‘He’s the one man I knew who may quote the Bible and Tupac on the identical time.'”

MacDonald has taken comfort in the hundreds of posts on her son’s Facebook wall, and in how many people also loved him.

“Because homeless folks do not essentially get that love. And he wasn’t at all times homeless … whenever you would meet this man on the road, when he was not utilizing something, you’ll need to cease and discuss to him as a result of his eyes, his face simply glowed. He had quite a lot of good issues in him, quite a lot of good issues.”

“I need his demise to imply one thing. He was much more than only a statistic.”

A memorial service is deliberate for Luke Landry on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at St. George’s Anglican Church in Moncton.