On Tuesday morning, I read that there was a traffic accident involving a person in a wheelchair, then another friend called to tell me that there were lit candles at the 7-Eleven. Then I knew.
I am writing this because Ronnie Singleton was not just the homeless guy in the wheelchair at the 7-Eleven. For many years he was an integral part of Wrigley. He was there to help with moving a new neighbor into their house, organize garages, put in patios, help when someone was ill. The list is long. He was trustworthy, intelligent, and hard-working. He was the go-to guy. He was there to celebrate a child’s birthday or other events and when someone needed physical help.
He was not Jamaican (he had dreadlocks). His family lived in the South. Numerous times we searched for the mother of his child and any family members. The neighbors were even going to buy him a bus ticket if we found them. Yes, he was an alcoholic; we all knew that. He had tried to quit.
Eleven years ago his life changed forever. He was picked up by the police in Long Beach and charged with a felony for arson. Because he was black, at the wrong place at the wrong time, he was picked up and accused of lighting fire to a car. In prison he was abused by fellow inmates and was slammed so hard that he ended up with severe back issues. I pushed the public defender to actually defend him instead of pursuing a plea bargain. I ended up finding witnesses, and he was found not guilty by a jury. His life went downhill from there.
In the past few years he would hang out with friends at the local 7-Eleven and lived marginally. The neighbors tried to help, but he was vulnerable to those around him.
These past few weeks I have attended two funerals. The eulogies given were all about the soul going on in others. I didn’t want the memory of Ronnie to be a negative one and for all of you to meet the man he was. He was a gentle soul with a difficult journey. Thank you for letting me introduce you to Ronnie. R.I.P.
Siegel is a Wrigley resident.
