Patrick Marquis

You know, when I was at that memorial service, you know, I got to talking to some of these folks.

And, you know, they...

I think they remembered their time in the tunnel as something that they had survived.

And obviously, it was a place that they had lived.

So in some ways, they missed it because they had sort of been displaced from it.

They were forced to leave it when Amtrak ended up closing down the tunnel.

But they were just also so much sort of healthier and more settled, you know, being in homes.

I mean, it was just so clear.

I mean, they just looked...

You know, some of them had looked so kind of gaunt and unhealthy when they were living in the tunnel for obvious reasons because it was just such a difficult place to live.

But, you know, by the time they'd been, you know, living in their own homes for so many years afterwards, I mean, they were just in such a sort of healthier and sort of calmer place.

I mean, I think what I try and do, and I think really everybody can do this, is try and just kind of see that person for who they are at that moment, you know, and try and just kind of, you know, it's a little bit of a cliche statement, but just sort of meet them where they're at and appreciate, you know, that what they're going through in that moment is, you know, it's just incredibly difficult.

Um, and then try and have some compassion and empathy.

I mean, again, it's just sometimes these encounters are momentary encounters, right?

You might just go up and talk to them for a moment, just kind of see how they're doing.

You know, maybe they need, you know, they need some money to get some food, you know, maybe just offer them a few dollars to...

You don't kind of help them out in that moment, but try and do it in a way that's, you know, just almost, you know, again, just be a human being about it.

I mean, I think that's what I try and do as much as possible.

I mean, there's no—I don't think there's any, like, one answer or any sort of magic answer, but just—

kind of try and actually be there on a human to human level with, with people.