Friday, April 4, 2014

RIP Doug

Photo Courtesy of the Asbury Park Press
The call came during the Destiny's Bridge screening in Westfield tonight. Another resident of Tent City - Doug Hardman - had passed away.

Just yesterday, I was relaying stories about Doug to a friend. We'd had many conversations, shared a great deal of laughter, and sung many a duet together. Everyone who met Doug - myself included - was amazed by his intellect and depth of knowledge of multiple topics. His love for music manifested itself when he took turns at the Tent City piano. He left behind many notebooks filled with original compositions.

Doug was a long-term resident of Tent City, on and off for five years. He came to the woods in the middle of a snowstorm, on a cold January night.  Doug was a one time government contractor, handling multimillion dollar government contracts. After his wife passed away from cancer, he lost all motivation and lapsed into alcoholism - and it cost him his business. He then fell victim to shady dealings of a local social work program, which resulted in him being swindled out of his waterfront home:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/10/12/anti-poverty-volunteer-keeps-profit-from-homeless-new-jersey-man-house-sale/

Doug had made many attempts to seek help and combat his alcoholism. Like others, he was awaiting his year of free housing, but after waiting for a year, he had still not been placed. For a time following his most recent stint in rehab, he was placed in a motel by Ocean County with no access to proper medical care. And then, when he was unable to single-handedly manage his illness, he was forcibly evicted from the motel where he was staying.

They didn't call a hospital or a counselor or anything. Just, "get out." To a man with an obvious sickness.

And after returning to Tent City around five days ago, he was found unresponsive and, even after multiple attempts to resuscitate him, lost his life.

Doug's brother James - a musician residing in California, whose talent was a topic of tremendous pride for Doug, and who also performed a live concert in Tent City back in November 2011 - received the news while vacationing with his wife for their anniversary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBVCNiSe09A

Doug's sons - one of whom lived in Tent City with Doug for a time - are now without a father. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiZPL2qF9Ws

And we who spent time with him at Tent City and knew of his gentle spirit and kind heart, lost a friend.

Doug, wherever you are now, I hope you've found the peace that your earthly life denied you. Know that you are loved, and you are missed.

3 comments:

  1. Rest in peace, Mister Hardman.

    ReplyDelete
  2. so what happened with his 2012 lawsuit?

    ReplyDelete