Editor, Ceres Courier,

The severity of the homeless situation in Ceres finally arrived in my backyard in one of the most horrid ways imaginable.

This Friday, as I was cleaning my backyard, I overheard a loud cry for help. A bike lane and the Ceres canal are directly behind my backyard, so I imagined a biker must have fallen and couldn’t get up. I peeked through my fence but couldn’t see anyone. I then heard a louder, more desperate cry for help. Alarmed, I opened my backyard gate and still saw no one. The third cry for help made me realize it was coming from inside the canal.

I peeked into the canal and saw a young man in his underwear with clear panic across his face. He quickly explained that he was homeless and was simply trying to take a shower several yards away from my house near the old Walmart. He did not realize the current in the canal would be so strong and was quickly dragged and could not get out because it was so slippery. I ran back into my house and grabbed a rope and pulled him out as fast as I could. The man began thanking me immediately.

Out of an abundance of caution I called the police prior to getting him out just in case he was a “tweaker.”After briefly talking to him to see if he was ok, I realized he was not much older or younger than I am. He was perfectly sober and had good teeth. He seemed far from a “tweaker” and someone simply just down on his luck. As Officer Prieto arrived on the scene, the young man became embarrassed that he was in his underwear. I ran back into the house and grabbed him a towel and cold water.  

As I walked away from the officers, I overheard the man telling the officers that I had saved his life. He then yelled it to me to make sure I understood how thankful he was. Instead of filling me with a sense of pride or making me feel like a local hero, it overwhelmed me with emotion and I felt my eyes water at the thought of a young man simply trying to shower but almost dying in our trash infested canals.  

I genuinely hope things get better for that man and hope our leaders are thinking of ways to alleviate homelessness issues as none of us in Ceres can ignore it any longer.

This encounter was yet another reason why we should give Rosalinda Vierra a chance to be mayor because it has been her who has been advocating for the homeless long before she was a councilmember and longer than I can remember.

Alvaro Franco,

Ceres

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