Homeless Man Dies Saving Miami Woman

[Career Prole]

MIAMI - A homeless man who was stabbed to death this week is being praised as a hero for stepping in to save the life of a downtown restaurant owner.

<snip>

Ruiz, described by relatives as a crack cocaine addict who lived mainly on Miami's downtown streets, did occasional work for Murillo in exchange for food. Police say he died struggling with Murillo's attacker, probably saving her life.

"He may have been a street person but he was heroic," said Detective Delrish Moss, spokesman for the Miami Police Department. "Even though he was a forgotten member of society, he acted better than most people who are not homeless."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050512/ap_on_re_us/homeless_hero

I wonder how many folks turned up their noses that day at Mr. Ruiz...
or how many who have walked by him every day without seeing him recognized him on the evening news? :(

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Guess not all heroes are clean-cut, well-dressed cape-wearing guys.

Hope he gets a hero's burial.

[UpInArms]

2. some of the best people

are placed in untenable situations.

Just because someone is homeless does not mean that they are worthless.

Our society has real problems understanding misfortune. :(

[Deja Q]

5. Our society has real problems.

Period.

It's not all misfortune but the greed, selfishness, and even maliciousness of a few.

[Marnieworld]

8. Thank you Hypnotoad!

I love that doggie pic and I haven't seen it in a while and it made me smile. What a wise patriotic poochie!

[expatriot]

3. I started crying when I read this story...

God bless you, Kelcy Ruiz.

[lostnfound]

10. Redemption's Son

God makes no throwaway people. Whatever sadnesses led him into his life, he had a light shining at the end.

Redemption's son
Joseph Arthur

I don't know where we've been
Could you tell me where we are again?
And Jesus is my only friend
No one else knows who I am

I know i'll never make it on the cross
Spent my days looking for what my daddy lost
He was too proud to have a boss
Sold himself out then he couldn't afford the cost

No one knows how he felt
Hung himself in the country jail
There were those who said he would burn in hell
I don't think they knew him very well

Angel of love
Shine a light on us
I was born to be
Redemption's son

Forgive us for what we've done, Lord

I don't know were we are
Fearful eyes don't see very far
Drivin' in my daddy's car
Ashtray full of his cigars

Is it real what I see?
His ghost is ridin' next to me
'Till he's gone I won't be free
From the burden of his misery

I know i'll never make it on the cross
Spent my days looking for what my daddy lost
He was too proud to have a boss
Sold himself out then he couldn't afford the cost

All over the neighbourhood
Mostly he was misunderstood
In his heart the bad beat the good
Used to be a time I'd come in if I could

Angel of love
Send a light on us
I was born to be
Redemption's son

Angel of love
Send a light on us
I was born to be
Redemption's son

Forgive us for what we've done, Lord

[Deja Q]

4. I wonder how Jeb and George will spin this, saying how being homeless is

a GOOD thing.

x(

Many of us would sacrifice ourselves in such a way. Being homeless is not a qualifier.

But it's a homeless guy. Our 'society' has a stigma against the homeless - how worthless they are and such, we've heard it all. The homeless saving the mansion owner is the incident that will have * praising the guy and wishing more of us would do the same. (given the economy continuing to go southeast, more and more people are becoming homeless...)

If Zephram Cochrane invented the warp drive just to get money and chicks, then this guy died because he didn't want to live and didn't know of any other way to die. He may have been just as heroic for the sake of heroism, but how many street people would want to live? No money, no posessions FWTW, little if any friends, no prospects. Once you get there, it's damn near impossible to get out of it because one needs an address, references, and money to afford them all.

[Career Prole]

11. Just how I read it, too.

They make it sound as if one's courage is a function of one's station in life.

Unfortunate does not imply unprincipled...jerks. :grr:

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

6. Heroism is more common among the homeless

That's where people are helping people in America today--down by the river, down by the tracks. I suggest everyone pay a visit and see for yourselves.

Try asking a homeless person for money sometime and see what happens. I bet you get offered at least food or tobacco, if not actual cash.

[KitSileya]

7. That reminds me of the story Robert Heinlein told to illustrate

what a real patriot was. About a couple walking across the railroad tracks in Swope Park, and how the lady got her foot stuck, and her husband and a tramp kept trying to free her foot 'till all three were hit by a train. That is the pragmatics of patriotism, as he saw it. It was the husband's duty to try save his wife, but that tramp...

The same with Mr.Ruiz. I doubt the majority of people calling themselves patriots and wrapping themselves in the flag are willing to not only risk their lives for others, but also give it when necessary. But Mr. Ruiz did. A true hero.


"They shall not grow old
as we who are left grow old,
age shall not wither them,
nor the years condemn;
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning,
we shall remember them..."

[ixion]

9. having experienced how our society treats homeless people

first hand, as a hitch-hiking traveler, I can tell you that when you give up your address, driver's license, job, etc, that society suddenly wants absolutely nothing to do with you. You become an unperson to them, not entitled to ANY rights or privileges.

It doesn't matter if you're intelligent, kind, educated... the only thing that matters are your 'papers'. :-(

[daleo]

12. People who are down and out can be the most generous.

In all sorts of ways.

[Amich]

13. a friend of mine always says that

each of us are a paycheck away from being homeless.
when I see a homeless person i feel guilty that I have no spare change and I apoligize to the hitchhiker for not picking them up, but I don't feel safe picking them up..