Homeless Man with Over $700,000(!!) in Med Bills Saves 2 Lives and Dies a Hero

[Mojeoux]

HOMELESS MAN SAVES 2 AND DIES A HERO

(I'm re-posting this because I just found out it was $700,000 not 70)

Thursday night, a man was hit and killed in the street in Guerneville named Mark Mueller and he died a hero. This story is no exaggeration, there were numerous eye witnesses and the accounts of the 2 people he saved.

The lives he saved are Barbara and "Fisherman" Mike who are also homeless transients. I don't know their last names. That they were street people doesn't make what he did any less heroic or any less newsworthy, bless his heart.

Because of his heart attacks, Mark had to stop working and he had no insurance and he had over 700 thousand dollar$ in Medical Bills. He couldn't afford his heart medications and he drank. The booze was bad for his body and his heart, but if he went off of alcohol outside of a hospital setting, his heart would've seized up and stopped.

My family and I have known Mark for over 30 years. He was a Master Landscaper and he could cut view corridors in a jumble of trees like magic. No trees killed and a gorgeous view.

He never told us about how deep in debt he was. He wasn't ever a whiner and ironically, he used to kind of look down on street people. When he became on of them, he became known as the nicest, most caring guy in the homeless community. These guys used to always stop me and tell me how great a person my "brother" Mark was.

Now he is like a legend to them.


Right now, the only story in our local paper is,

"transient dies in cross walk."

We have called and e-mailed the editors with the whole story, and hopefully, after the weekend, it will be in print.


Really, how many people do regular civilian-type folks know that have died saving lives?

Thanks DU, the truth is stranger than fiction!

MJ

[surrealAmerican]

1. k & r

... for the tragic lives of good people.

[Mojeoux]

5. Here is a picture of Mark in his Prime

[Mojeoux]

16. The Santa Rosa Post Democrat

called and they are doing the real story. So sad, and proud of my little "brother."

[Mojeoux]

17. Here's Mark Just 3 years Ago in his Favorite Place

A Garden

[madeline_con]

18. The caption says Mark Bell. n/t

[Mojeoux]

25. I don' see that....but

I was trying to pull this picture off of my friend's page with her photo collection and I kept getting this other pic coming up. I had to edit 4 times to get it right.

Please take another look.

My youngest daughter is named Madeline...I love that name.

[Mojeoux]

41. He Loved Beautiful Women, Gardens, Motorcycles and The Pacific Ocean

Good Night to y'all DU

Thank you all for reading and caring about Mark.

My Post can't bring him back, but it has comforted me for these days.

Good Night Brother RIP

[prolesunited]

2. Please post the link if it makes it

To me it is one of those feel-good stories that belongs on Today or Good Morning America

[Mojeoux]

4. The Local Santa Rosa Paper is Now Doing the Whole Story

Thank you so much, through our tears, we are so proud of him. That sounds so corny but it's true.
I forgot to say he was also once a forest ranger.

We were contacted by the Press Democrat and I will send you a link for sure.

[prolesunited]

11. Once it gets printed

send the link around to the morning news shows, maybe Oprah or Ellen, too. It would be nice for people to see a different side to homeless people.

[MindandSoul]

3. Great story! some people are just occasional heroes, and will never be recognized.

I'm glad you brought us this hero!

[Mojeoux]

6. Thank You So Much

We love him forever. Check out his picture above.

[Glimmer of Hope]

7. How sad that he didn't receive the care he needed.

There are too many others like him. RIP Mark Mueller. :(

[Mojeoux]

8. There is no detox for the homeless and the poor

They don't get to go to a fancy rehab unless they luck out and get on the TV show "Intervention." They have all these inspiring names, "New Doors,"
"Upward Choices," whatever.
It's a multi-billion dollar industry and the "new Doors" are shut to all the poor souls that people step over everyday.

Wacky Sad

[ms opaliegogirl]

10. "open" doors shut

that is why i collect door knobs, and practice being a human=
being.  what it really means is that collectively we must
speak out.

[TacticalPeek]

21. Welcome to DU.

:thumbsup:

[Mojeoux]

27. Thanks Tack...I'm almost up to 100 posts n/t

[ms opaliegogirl]

9. mark mueller life for a stop sign

so let's make a mock stop sign and put it on that corner. 
slow down signs people ignore but a STOP is a STOP.  thank you
mark for being the human being that has given his life  to
make THIS place better.  we will look for your soul when it
returns.

[Mojeoux]

12. A Mock Stop

Stop in the name of LOVE

It may be confusing, but I am all for going to the county and seeing how we get it done legally. Maybe we have to get up a petition.
It's only a natural progressive for the town. Those stop lights were stop signs for many moons.

[OneGrassRoot]

13. Thanks for being here and for sharing this story.....

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

[bobbolink]

14. Thank you for the story. Rest in Peace, Mark.

[Mojeoux]

19. Oh My God

Thank You so. I am going to share this

[bobbolink]

23. I just found out the artist was in 12th grade when she drew that!

She lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

It has solidified my idea of reaching out to young people in a campaign to end homelessness.

Please honor the artist, if you "share" it.... we need to be careful how we use images like this.

Thank you again so much for sharing the story, and WELCOME TO DU!! :bounce: :yourock: :party:

[Mojeoux]

31. Heart and Talent caring for the "least of these."

I think I just quoted the bible. Glen Beck would differ with Jesus on that. Thank goodness that the capacity for love in the human heart is infinite.

[bobbolink]

30. I forgot to mention..... this painting/drawing gave me an idea for someone so

artistically inclined.

A drawing of an older homeless woman with a sign... "I am your mother, I am your sister."

Waddya think?

If you are interested in hearing about the project a small group of us from here are working on, let me know.

And thanks again for *your* heart!

:yourock:

[Mojeoux]

32. and I Am Your Daughter

Awesome, this thread is making me cry again.
Please read the story from our local paper. It's posted below.


Mark once cut a view cut for me so I could have a better view onto the Russian River. He would just trim and trim with no trees killed. He was out on this impossible branch and I was out there saying "be careful!" and he finally said 'Mojo just go inside, this is what I do!"

He was "out on a limb" for me and the view was exquisite.

[Mojeoux]

33. Whoo that last was My 100th post Love You DU b/t

Thank you all for your caring words.

Thank you for being here when I need to rejoice and when my misery needs company.

love
MJ

[bobbolink]

38. "Out on a limb". Thank you for sharing that wonderful story!

Many years ago, I did a book of stories of homeless people, but your "out on a limb" story has me thinking that it is time for a book of remembrances, of national scope.

These stories should be known, and the people remembered.

Thank you.

[Mojeoux]

39. Mark Was A Forest Ranger Too

The lady that Mark saved is named Barbara and on the night of the accident we were all crying and a little hysterical. I was hugging Barbara and telling her. "Oh girl, God saved you for a reason, you hafta get sober! You have to go back to school and become something really good like a nurse.
All surprised, she answered me, "I use to BE a nurse."

Any how, at the little memorial yesterday, I made sure to tell her she is a child of God and a perfect immortal soul. If she never changed a thing in her life, she is worthy of my "brother's" sacrifice.

[OneGrassRoot]

42. Bobbo, that painting is so powerful!!!!!

Please let me know about your project. I'm very interested...working on something in which I may be able to help spread the artwork and anything else you're working on.

:hug: :hug: :hug:

:grouphug:

[Mojeoux]

43. "just anonther lovely day in paradise" phil collins

What would our country be like if all the poor people with addictions could have care and be functioning ?

[bobbolink]

46. Thank you... I will contact you. Do you do artwork, or...possibly music?

Have need of both of those, but.... so much more.

The project is growing like Topsy!

Will write as soon as I can... but feel free to PM me, too!

Thanks so much for your interest!

:hug:

[Mojeoux]

47. We Threw a Benefit for the Homeless in 1991

It was a hard sell.

People were burnt out even back then.
Mark was a volunteer for a lot of the Benefits.
I just remembered that.

I write stories and songs. I sing and sometimes I EMCEE.

I love to crochet, I make hats.

[Delphinus]

20. bobbolink,

wow. Beautiful.

And thank you for the quote from Harriet Tubman - I read and did a book report on her ages ago - she was such an inspiration!

[bobbolink]

24. It's a wonderful piece of art, is it not? As I told the OP, I just found out the

artist was a 12th grader from Edmonton, Alberta Canada.

With what I am doing, Harriet Tubman is more of an inspiration than you can even imagine! :yourock:

[Mojeoux]

26. A Kid in High School, to have such heart and talent.

Check out the Link Below to the Great Newspaper Story. I think they did a nice job. But it really was "over $700,000" in bills. His paperwork was still Sally's, his other, "sister."

Thanks again Bobolink. I think you will appreciate the sensitivity of the newspaper story.

[bobbolink]

29. Yes, that is truly where the "HOPE" is!

Have you seen the story about Million Dollar Murray, that the NY Times did?

And, how about this quote....

Even more jarring was the death of a homeless woman at a bus stop across the street from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Inside, officials were debating the budget to be allocated for programs on the homeless. One HUD employee looking out a window toward the scene "grew sardonic counting seven police cars, two police motorcycles, a fire truck and an ambulance. 'It's just strange to see how many resources a person gets after they die--not a fraction of that beforehand,' she said" (DeParle, 1993)
One Nation Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All, by Mark Robert Rank 2004, p.281 Notes Chapter 1

[Mojeoux]

34. The Problem With the Golden Rule

I've discovered is that if deep inside, someone thinks they are worthless, they hide these feelings inside and they treat other people like they are worthless.

[Mojeoux]

44. K&R

[Mojeoux]

45. K&R

[Mojeoux]

15. k&r

[sabra]

22. Santa Rosa Press Democrat has the story now...

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100329/NEWS/3291047/1350?Title=Homeless-man-hit-killed-by-van-remembered-as-friend-hero

[Mojeoux]

28. WOW thank you to post that.

It is a lovely read. Someone said people need to hear more good things about the people who live in AMERICA with no home.

[Mojeoux]

35. k&r

[Mojeoux]

36. This IS a GOOD story!!!

Thank you for posting! They have a little picture of him in the paper paper.

[bobbolink]

37. My only problem with this story.....

Homeless people shouldn't have to die before their worth is recognized.

:cry:

[Mojeoux]

40. n/t