In Memory of My Nephew, Jimmy

Last week, I got the news that my nephew, Jimmy had died unexpectedly. He was homeless, jobless, and authorities are calling it a suicide. I wanted to tell his story because similar deaths are happening around the country as people become homeless or jobless. I hope to create awareness with my readers so that they might be able to avoid this situation.

Jimmy was just 33 years old and as I mentioned he was homeless and jobless. His untimely death has been a shock for my whole family.

He was my sister's son and he'd been working as a roofer for the past ten years or so. In New England, roofing jobs are seasonal so he would find odd jobs to sustain himself for the winter months. The past two years were hard in terms of finding winter jobs so he would live with his Mom and Dad temporarily during the winter months. The problem is that last summer my sister lost her job after working for the same company for 13 years. Unable to find work, she and her husband were evicted from their home this past November. Jimmy was still jobless and living with them at the time.

My sister contacted the Massachusetts Department of Social Services and they have relocated my sister and her husband to a motel room. They're still there as of this writing and are on a waiting list for low-income housing. My sister is now jobless and homeless.

The Massachusetts Department of Social Services would not help Jimmy because he was 33 years old. The only reason that they helped my sister is because she has custody of her two young grandchildren.

Jimmy was not allowed to visit his parents inside their hotel room. He had to meet them in an area where the children of the hotel played. He couldn't have lunch with his parents or sit and watch a football game with his Dad. On top of being jobless and homeless, this must've bothered him.

Jimmy was staying with friends, a week here, two weeks there, and getting depressed. I hate to think of my nephew living like this, but I didn't know. The last I had heard he was living with a friend and had been there for almost a month. He had planned to stay with them until the roofing season began again. I don't know what happened, but that's all water under the bridge now.

Jimmy was found dead in a hotel room last week and we're not even sure what day he died. An autopsy has been conducted and my sister doesn't have the details yet. The authorities are calling it an apparent suicide. When the final autopsy report comes out in about a week, we'll have more answers.

This type of scenerio is happening all over the country as people lose their jobs and homes. This is not an isolated incident but it's the first time my family has fallen victim to something like this. I'm sure that if my sister hadn't lost her job and then her home, Jimmy would still be alive.

The reason I'm writing this article is not to lament on Jimmy's death; I'm doing that well enough on my own. The point is to suggest that if you have a family member that is unemployed or lost their home, keep in touch with them. Call them more often or visit them if they live close by. By doing this, you are hopefully keeping their spirits up and offering suggestions that may help them. You're also showing them that you care.

Losing your job or your home can be very depressing especially for men who see this as a failure. It's very hard on them. A college student who can't find a job is also worth checking in with. If you don't live nearby, invite your family member out for a visit. Give them a change of scenery and help boost their spirits.

Of course, you must realize that by reaching out to someone doesn't guarantee that there'll be a happy outcome. The difference is that you'll have some comfort knowing that you tried to help and that you showed your family member that you cared, should the outcome be tragic. I don't have that comfort and I regret that I missed an opportunity to help my nephew out. I pass along Jimmy's story to hopefully help you and your family become more aware of this situation and to try and advert another tragic ending.

I pray now, that my nephew Jimmy is resting in peace.