JAMES BROWN
Yep, you read that right.
Otherwise known as the Mayor of the Dream Streets.
We first met James at our mobile food site at Village West apartments. He became fast friends with our staff member, Haley Trusler, and volunteer leader Allie. James would help unload food donations, spread the word about the dream, and ensure the Dream Streets ladies were safe.
Haley discovered that James had a knack for detailing cars. She invited him to the Dream Streets to detail hers, and the staff quickly followed suit. A Dream Streets volunteer designed and purchased business cards for him. We bought him a bin to keep his supplies safe. After that, you'd see him at Dream Streets nearly every day, ready to detail your car if you let him.
James' story doesn't fit into a neatly wrapped program. Yes, he benefited from our Mobile Food Ministry, but he was invited into the family.
In November 2021, we took James to the hospital after some concerns, and staff members took shifts for nearly 24 hours, waiting for him to get a room. Unfortunately, James received a complicated cancer diagnosis. He was in the hospital until he moved into a skilled nursing facility.
The tiny bundle of joy is baby James. His name reflects the impact James has had on Allie and her family.
It hasn't been the same without him at the building. This news caused great sadness for our staff, volunteers, and many individuals who had met James. This included children of our team who have sat next to James on the couch to watch CoCoMelon or Judge Judy.
Local business owners and friends donated money to make James' room a home. We also purchased a cd player, and James requested albums from three artists: Tupac, Biggie Smalls, and Snoop Dogg. Pastor Lee Beard from Cross Point Bellevue gifted him a large print bible. His bookmark is a picture of his Dream Streets staff ladies he fiercely protects.
An unexpecting blessing is that a mom of one of our previous Dream Streets students is James' nurse. We thank God he placed a Dream Streets family member to care for him.
James was been given a life timeline that he surpassed which isn't surprising. He attended his first Titans game in August 2022 and had the time of his life.
James passed away on Tuesday, October 25th, at 65 years old.
James' final months (almost a year) were filled with joy, care, and the love of Christ by many staff, volunteers, and friends of Dream Streets.
