Lexington’s homeless community ‘in shock’ after two men found dead in the cold
In more than 20 years of working with Lexington’s homeless population, Ginny Ramsey can’t remember a time when two members of the homeless community were found dead outside on the same day.
But that day came Friday.
Jerry Wayne Johnson, 59, was found dead of hypothermia on Winchester Road under the Interstate 75 overpass Friday morning, the Fayette County Coroner’s office said.
The coroner said the “extreme cold overnight” led to the death.
Then at about 5 p.m., Lexington police were called to a homeless camp at Third Street and Newtown Pike, after a man was found dead in a tent.
“Other individuals at the camp said that he had been sick recently,” said Lexington police Sgt. Jeremy Brislin.
The coroner’s office had not released the man’s name as of Saturday morning.
Ramsey, director and co-founder of the Catholic Action Center, said the sudden change in temperatures may have caught some people who live outside off guard.
“They’ll say, ‘Aw, I’ll come in tomorrow if it’s bad,’” she said.
Ramsey said many people who are homeless have weakened immune systems and other health problems.
“The change in weather is so dramatic,” she said. “Vulnerable systems can’t take it.”
The center’s Compassionate Caravan goes out on cold nights to offer rides to the shelter and to bring supplies to those who refuse to come inside.
“Those supplies many not be enough,” Ramsey said.
That was the case with Jerry Johnson, who was known to friends as J.J., Ramsey said. She said someone from the center had talked to him just before the cold snap and urged him to come inside, but he had refused.
She said members of the Compassionate Caravan were particularly saddened by his passing.
“They had just been out there,” Ramsey said.
She said she reminded Caravan workers that they have “kept a lot of people alive” by their efforts.
“All we can do is reach out,” she said. “We cannot force.”
She said an informal service was held for Johnson at the center at noon Friday, and those present “were in shock.”
“Then to have the second gentleman found ... it shakes their core,” she said.
Ramsey said a phone line or app might need to be set up to allow citizens to report sightings of people that they think should be encouraged to come in from the cold.
“We just don’t want them to die alone,” Ramsey said. “These guys have friends. They’ve got people that care about them.”
