A homeless flower seller for the last 15 years, Thomas Sawyer, used to sleep in the back lane directly under my office window, in downtown Vancouver. I’ve watched and chatted with him many times. Along with his unique name, I also had the sense he had a special life that I wanted to continue to learn about. In February, we both came up with the idea of documenting his life on the streets past and present. Tragically, a few weeks later, he died mysteriously in the same place where he slept nightly. His memorial proved all truth to the conversations and tales I knew of him. He was an entrepreneur, a husband, a father, a well educated and traveled man, loved by families and friends. Sadly, along with his passing, our hopeful project never launched, and I made only two pictures. One of him from my office view, the other, a few weeks before his untimely death, which is his final portrait taken. His last quote to me was “If you can set goals, you can be whatever you want†– RIP Tom Sawyer.
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