Anti-poverty activists spent Wednesday leaving flowers, balloons and teddy bears at Chris Schlueter’s last known address: A bridge off Interstate 75 in Boone County.
Medical complications related to spinal meningitis claimed Schlueter’s life June 1 after three years of homelessness. He was 32 years old.
“It’s really, really sad that he died,” said Brian Garry, an organizer and advocate for the anti-poverty nonprofit Maslow’s Army. “And what’s even sadder is that as a society we allowed Chris and other people to live under bridges, people who really need our help.”
Garry provided a few biographical details about Schlueter: He had attended Conner High School in Hebron, Kentucky, and played football there. He loved to fish. He had a 10-year-old daughter.
“The thing about Chris is, his life matters,” Garry said. “And we want to give importance and value and show that people do care.”
Maslow’s Army will host a memorial service for Schlueter from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Florence Freedom Center. His daughter will perform a song there, according to Maslow’s Army founder Sam Landis.
