Local

Jacksonville community rallies to honor homeless veteran with proper burial

It was a rough life for a local veteran who was homeless for nearly 30 years.

Then, just months after finally getting back on his feet, he died.

But there’s an effort underway to give him a proper sendoff.

It was two years ago when Tammy McGee saw a man lying in Gonzalez Park. She knew she wanted to help, but she had no idea how far it would go.

“Eventually we brought chili, and it opened up a conversation with him,” said McGee.

After months and months of reaching out, the veteran finally accepted her help, but had some doubts.

“Do you trust us enough to get you housing? He said, 'You won’t be able to do it',” McGee said.

But she was. McGee got her new friend Mike, known to many as “Mango” into a home in February, after living on the streets for nearly 30 years.

“We walked the path with him,” said McGee.

McGee has helped many people like Mango over the years through her nonprofit, Simply Because.

They might start out as strangers, but she gets close to them. They become like family, so when she found out Mango passed away this week from a stroke, she was heartbroken.

“He was a friend, he was a friend. He was important to me,” she said.

The Department of Veterans Affairs will cover his burial at the Jacksonville National Cemetery. But not the cost of cremation. And that’s where McGee said she’s hoping the community will step in to help.

“He doesn’t deserve anything less,” she said.

There are others out there like Mango. McGee said she will continue to find them, and help them.

The burial is set for 12:30 p.m. at the national cemetery on Dec. 21.

If you would like more information on how to help, click HERE.