Vous êtes sur la page 1sur 3

ROBERT DIAMOND MERCER

Born January 27, 1965 Died May , 2017

AGE 52

Robert Diamond Mercer was born in El Centro California to Lois Kay Sampson and Gary Diamond
Mercer.

As a young boy Robert had many talents which included swimming. The family moved to Boulder
Colorado when Robert was a young child. Robert completed in swimming competitions but had some
developmental issues after a head injury.

He was seen at the Fort Logan Mental health Center in Denver Colorado and lived with his family in
Northglenn and then Aurora Colorado.

Robert continued his elementary and secondary education and after his mother and father divorced, he
continued to live with his mother. Robert was employed in the Safeway stores photo processing plant
and remained there during and until the death of his mother.

Robert was not able to maintain his daily routine without the help of his mother and soon lost his job
and housing becoming homeless in 1995.

He lived in the downtown Denver area until finding his way south to the area of Greenwood Village.

Robert became a well-known as an easy going individual living homeless along the I-25 and E. Arapahoe
Road corridor. He was usually seen walking with a set of head phones shaking his head and only listened
to KBPI radio. He knew all of the bands and their songs.

People who met Robert quickly learned this man was a gentle individual, always asking people, Hows it
going?

He would sometimes go into the Safeway store on Arapahoe Road and S. Quebec Street and read the
Popular Mechanics or the Economist magazines.

Robert frequented many businesses along the I-25 / Arapahoe Road corridor. Robert usually stayed
between S. Quebec Street and S. Havana Street.

A unknown plethora of people who frequented Safeway, Starbucks, Home Depot, 7-11, Boston Market,
Wild Oats Market, Indias Castle restaurant, Burger King, Brothers Barbecue, Circle K, and other
locations, help Robert with food, clothing donations and money.

About four years ago a local business owner noticed Roberts daily treks to the local coffee shop and
befriended him. As time went by this businessman met with me and a Social Worker from Arapahoe
Douglas Adult Protections Services. In time Roberts Social Security was reestablished as were some
minimal funds for food resources. This business man began to pay $500 each month to supplement
Robert income to stay in a motel half of the month.
Robert was guest at a few local motels in the area. His favorite was the Hawthorn Suites located on E.
Costilla Avenue near S. Havana Street. The staff there warmly greeted him after realizing he had a good
nature and was a fellow person in need of support.

During the winter of 2016 Robert began having problems with this legs. One leg was swelling and with
the aid of a Nurse from the Tri County Health Department who visited with him, Robert agreed to an
examination at a local hospital. That was the first of more emergency room visits until he was at the
Medical Center of Aurora and diagnosed with a blood clot in one leg and Diabetes. After a week in the
hospital he resumed his normal routine living on the streets and in the motel part time. A Physician was
located at the Centennial Health Care Plaza and Robert was treated for the blood clot and Diabetes. He
carried his medication with him but with no daily assistance to monitor his activities, Robert often lost
the medication.

He soon found himself at Parker Adventist Hospital staying for a week of treatment for the blood clot
and later back to his homeless life on Arapahoe Road.

Social Services would not place Robert in any assisted living facility as he did not want to leave the area
and there were no facilities suitable in the south metro area for homeless people like Robert. They could
not guarantee Robert would stay anywhere they placed him and he was not a candidate for a guardian.

On February 20th 2017 Robert was sleeping on the street and in the area of the Lowes Home
Improvement store in Greenwood Village. He collapsed and some people in the area heard his cries for
help. Robert was taken by the South Metro Fire Department Paramedics to Emergency Room at Sky
Ridge Medical Center. He was being diagnosed and went into cardiac arrest. He did not survive the
event and was pronounced dead on February 21, 2017.

The Arapahoe County Coroners Office contacted myself as I was the only person listed in Roberts
belongings. Over the five years I had helped Robert I nor anyone else I knew who had been acquainted
with Robert, nor had Social Services located any information for his family.

About a month before his death a woman who knew Robert had contacted her brother who worked for
Ancestry.Com. A free DNA kit was obtained and just about two weeks before he died the results came
back indicating he had an English family history. Unfortunately more research was necessary and time
was not on Roberts side to locate any possible distant relatives.

Robert was cremated by All States Cremation Services in Centennial Colorado with the assistance of the
Arapahoe County Coroners Office.

It is the hope of myself and others who knew Robert Diamond Mercer that sharing this part of his lifes
story will be accepted by many who benefited from knowing this fine gentleman and experiencing his
gentle nature.

A GoFundMe website has been established in hope to raise enough money to have Roberts ashes laid to
rest at a Chapel Hill Memorial Park in Centennial. It is located near S. Colorado Blvd. and of course E.
Arapahoe Road.

Alden L. Langert

https://www.gofundme.com/RobertDiamondMercerMemorialFund

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi