‘Every life matters’: Lincoln ceremony honors homeless people who have died

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The People’s City Mission held its annual longest night of the year ceremony on Thursday to honor those who died due to homelessness.

Pastor Tom Barber, CEO of the mission, said every year, unhoused people perish without anyone knowing.

“Oftentimes when they pass away to death, nobody knows, nobody cares,” he said. “We want them to know people do care, they do matter. Every life matters.”

This event gives those close to those who died a chance to celebrate their existence.

“Many of them, their families have deserted them,” Barber said. “And they do not have many people, and it’s easy for them to die and just think, ‘Nobody cares; I am not going to be missed by anybody.’ So something like this is really critical to them.”

Participants gathered inside for food, music and prayer.

Then they moved outside to the mission’s Memorial Wall to honor, grieve and hear the names of their loved ones one last time.

Many homeless people don’t have a funeral, so their loved ones don’t get a chance to grieve.

“It’s a time to grieve a little bit to remember, to try and get some emotions healed,” Barber said.

The names are then placed on plaques so they are remembered forever.

Kimberly Turbey came to the ceremony to honor her friend Linda, who recently died.

She said it’s important to remember and honor her late friend.

“She is going to be missed, but I know she is in a better place now,” Turbey said. “She is going to be missed by her kids. Especially her kids and her grandkids are going to miss her.”

More information about the People’s City Mission can be found on its website.